Hi City Council members,
I believe you are voting tonight on the placement of stop signs along Central Ave, particularly at Elm and Central. Elm is one of the main routes for students walking and biking to and from the Upper Laurel campus and Menlo Atherton High School. The crossing at Central is particularly hazardous for students, especially our youngest bikers, as they interact with cars with several blocks of speed built up. Our 8-year-old daughter bikes through this intersection twice daily, which is a source of high stress for us; even though we have gone over proper bike safety with her many times, we cant control the vehicle traffic.
Four-way stop signs along Elm at Pope and Elm at Central Ave will allow cars, bikers, and pedestrians to coexist safely without any significant inconvenience to traffic. In addition, they would bring the parents of the Willows and surrounding neighborhoods more peace of mind around the safety of our children.
I also support the other recommendations in the staff report regarding additional stop signs around Menlo Park. Making our streets safer for bikers and pedestrians is critical.
Thanks for your time,
Cassandra Lopez
