I wanted to bring up some past public comments that have been written about Coleman Avenue and our towns biking infrastructure. These are all from the 2020 Transportation Master Plan:
* “My children are beginning bicyclists and we have congestion on Coleman Avenue getting to Laurel Elementary”
* “My kids bike all the time, but MP does not feel safe on a bike due to bad driving behavior- impatient, reckless drivers.”
* “I am not comfortable letting my 10 year old bike alone around Menlo Park yet. His skills are great but we dont yet have great cross-town routes, and major intersections are super sketchy. Plus, too many aggressive/distracted drivers.“
* “Bike paths through Atherton territory and by schools are dangerous”
* “Biking between upper and lower Laurel campus is an incredibly stressful experience. With young kids on bikes, no bike lanes and high traffic it makes for a very unsafe ride.”
* “The City of Menlo Park is just waiting for a child to be killed on Coleman Avenue. It is appalling. Coleman Avenue serves at the main motorist/bike/pedestrian route between Laurel Elementary Schools Lower and Upper Campus. Almost all families that attend Laurel have children in both campuses (one on Edge Road in Atherton and one off OConnor Street in the Willows). There is no safe bike/pedestrian route between the two campuses. I personally bike daily with my 6 year old to Laurels Lower Campus at Edge Road, however, we have no bike lane and share the road with motorist. Many of the motorist are high school students speeding to MA High School and do not slow down for children. The afternoon is horrible. We only have to be on Coleman for a short stretch so we continue to bike (although I dont feel every safe) but I have no way to bike with him to the Upper Campus in 2 years because there is no safe route. BOTTOM LINE: Coleman and Gilbert need a bike lane for elementary school childre“
* “My concerns: 1. Bike Lanes for children biking to school especially on Coleman and Gilbert connecting Upper and Lower Laurel Elementary Schools two campuses.”
* “Bike lanes and walking lanes needed on Coleman Ave. It is a main thoroughfare for Laurel and MA High School and the daily cyclists and pedestrians that have to walk or ride in the car lanes is insanely dangerous.“
* “I would very much like to bike to Laurel with my son, who is in kindergarten. It would be more convenient for me, set a better example for my son, and also reduce the congestion and backup on the streets around Laurel. However, Coleman Ave. is far too crowded and dangerous to bike with my son. It feels like an extremely dangerous situation with so many people walking, biking, and driving all on the same narrow strip of road without sidewalks or bike lanes. These four blocks should be a first priority for the city to make walking and biking safe for children in Menlo Park.”
* “Laurel Elementary School expanded last year to open a new Upper Campus off of OConnor Street in the Willows serving 3-5. The Lower Campus still exists on Edge Road in Atherton serving K-2. Most families have children attending both campuses. THERE IS NO SAFE WAY TO BIKE BETWEEN THE CAMPUSES!! The route most motorist, bikers and pedestrians take between the two campuses is down Coleman Avenue and Gilbert Avenue. There is NO bike lane on either of these two roads. I ride my bike daily with my 6 year old son to Lower Laurel. We luckily live nearby, but still have bike a short stretch along Coleman. Its a daily nightmare. The street is narrow, many motorist go fast (especially high school students rushing to and from MA High School) and I worry about our safety. We will have no safe way to bike to the Laurel Upper Campus in two years and will have to drive. My friends that live farther away have no safe way to bike to school because Coleman is too dangerous. Please make a bike lane”
* “Riding on Coleman to Lower Laurel School is not possible with a school age child. Way to dangerous. Total bummer. Getting kids to school from the Willows on bike is too dangerous in the morning.”
* “We no longer bike to from our home to Laurels Upper Campus because the section of Coleman that we have to travel along is way too dangerous for bikers. It is not worth the risk to my young sons life or health to attempt to bike along Coleman any longer.”
* “coleman avenue and Gilbert avenue are not safe enough for kids to ride bikes. no bikelines, parked cars on the street, cars are not careful enough.”
* “Coleman avenue is a disaster waiting to happen for bikers. Sooner or later a kid will get killed, and then everyone will wonder why nothing has been done.”
* “I REALLY REALLY like the new bike lane on Oak Grove!! It is wonderful. My family uses it on the weekends to bike to downtown Menlo Park and the west side. Before there was no safe way for us to bike to the other side of El Camino. It is also helpful during school rush hours to know that students heading to Hillview Middle School and MA High School are going to be using that route so you can expect them. Having students use non-bike routes made it unpredictable when you might encounter one on a random road. Please keep this route and implement the same on Coleman and Gilbert Avenue.”
* “Would like to see safer bike routes for kids to ride to school. Our kids go to Laurel and Coleman is a disaster. MA and Laurel kids trying to get to school with lots of cars and 3- 4 roundabouts that make it not very safe or enjoyable. Thanks for your help if trying to improve Coleman.”
* “We need to permanently designate Bay Laurel as a bike Lane connecting MA High School to downtown Menlo Park, as well as improve Coleman Avenue”
* “Coleman Ave is the primary way that school children get to Laurel Elementary school, but the last few blocks have neither sidewalks nor bike lanes. It feels like a very dangerous situation to have people driving, walking, and biking on the same narrow strip of road. This should be a priority for Menlo Park and San Mateo County to fix.”
* “Coleman Avenue is extremely unsafe M-F particularly during morning commute and when the schools get out. Crossing Willow during morning enand evening M-F feels very unsafe”
* “Lack of decent lighting on Coleman Avenue. Very dangerous during the winter months. Unsafe given the volumes of traffic and angry drivers to have kids walk across Willow by themselves to get to school.”
* “There are no safe bike routes/bike lanes to several of our schools. In particular, Laurel Elementary School.”
* “Would love to be able to bike to and from the Laurel School campuses and not have my BP rise every morning with the stress of trying to keep my kids safe.“
* “I am disappointed Menlo Park hasnt done anything to make biking and walking routes to schools safer. When the new Laurel Upper Campus opened, no bike lanes were put in to encourage children to ride bikes, and there is increased neighborhood traffic from Waze and other sites, and Menlo Park hasnt implemented common sense traffic regulations to decrease cut through traffic. The combination of no bike lanes and no efforts to reduce cut through traffic make roads unsafe for children, which discourages parents from sending their children to school by foot or bike.”
