Menlo Park Watch: City pushes ahead on stoplight at busy crossroads Menlo Park Watch: City pushes ahead on stoplight at busy crossroads (March 30, 2005)

Plans keep moving ahead on installing a traffic signal at the busy downtown Menlo Park intersection of Menlo Avenue and University Drive, with the City Council voting March 22 to authorize $20,000 to create a design of the signal.

Councilman Nicholas Jellins, though, advocated waiting six months longer to see if the new interim safety measures now in place could achieve the desired safety results. Installed in February, the measures include moving a stop sign and a crosswalk and bringing in orange flags for pedestrians to carry. Only Andy Cohen joined him in dissenting.

City staff members expect that the $20,000 will come from funds from the county's Measure A transportation sales tax. The total cost of the traffic signal project, though, is expected to reach $285,000, transportation engineer Rene Baile wrote in a staff report.

Some residents have praised the interim measures, saying they have greatly improved safety and visibility at the hectic intersection. Others are pushing for the traffic signal, saying it's the only way to make the crossroads safer.

A 62-year-old woman died in 2003 after being struck by a car while she was walking through the Menlo Avenue crosswalk.

The Oakland-based DKS Associates transportation and engineering firm has been chosen to create the design.
Architects take on downtown Menlo

Ever wanted to watch architects at work? The public can get the chance on Saturday, April 9, when 50 design professionals will descend on downtown Menlo Park.

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church social hall in the rear of 700 Santa Cruz Ave.

Divided into four design teams, the architects will brainstorm, scribble and create ideas for spiffing up the area bounded by (and including the street frontages of) El Camino Real, Oak Grove Avenue, Alma Street and Ravenswood Avenue.

The area connects the Civic Center to the Santa Cruz Avenue shopping area, but it's carved up by the train and El Camino and could use help becoming more vibrant, event organizers said.

The public is invited to give suggestions during the process. Design concepts that emerge will go to the City Council at a later meeting.

For more information, call city business development manager David Johnson at 330-6610.
Council meeting is cancelled

The Menlo Park City Council has canceled its meeting on Tuesday, March 29, due to spring break in many schools. Council meetings will resume the following Tuesday in the council chambers at 701 Laurel St.

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