Accidents Waiting to Happen

Measure F will be on the ballot this November for Atherton residents to vote for approval or not for the construction of a 13,000 square foot building in Holbrook Park to house a new library and community center building. Of concern is the traffic produced by an estimated 9,000 additional users from outside Atherton.

The Environmental Impact Report report stated, "Even with the implementation of the mitigations measure recommended in Section IV.D Transportation, Circulation, Parking the proposed project would result in significant and unavoidable impact to the total operation of the El Camino Real/ Watkins Avenue intersection."

During the review process over the location of the library in the Park the Town Council refused to allow the Transportation Committee to review the proposed plan. Various proponents of the project have indicated that this is not an Atherton problem as the Town has no control over El Camino Real as this is a State controlled roadway.

From the County Almanac April 3, 2012

John Ruggeiro, a Transportation Committee member, said he has long been concerned with traffic impacts resulting from a library in Holbrook-Palmer Park, and committee members have requested that the matter be put on the Transportation Committee agenda. That request has been denied by the town, he said.

The record of accidents at this intersection

The Atherton Police Department records for the past four and half years (2008 to present) indicate there have been a total of eleven vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian (or combination of) accidents at or near this intersection. Nine of these have involved personal injury accidents and there has been one fatality.

Several accidents have been detailed in Country Almanac articles: http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=7557 http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=4578

A new problem--- 1906 El Camino Real Building

The building at 1906 El Camino (site of the old Acorn Restaurant) although completed on 2010 has been vacant for some time. It was permitted by Menlo Park as a medical/dental office building and has 45 parking spaces. It appears the building will soon be occupied and considerably add to the traffic volume and congestion either on El Camino Real or Watkins as typically these office visits will be of short duration. When proposed the traffic produced by this building was well documented and considered but Menlo Park went ahead. Other developments to the south of Watkins along El Camino Real planned in the near future will also add to the traffic volume as noted in this article. http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=5490

The Town Council is ignoring their responsibility for this dangerous intersection and to intentionally add more traffic and congestion over an intersection that cannot be fixed is morally wrong and a violation of their civic responsibility. While the law and territorial boundaries might allow the Town Council to avoid direct legal responsibility either individually or as a group they are knowingly putting people at risk for injury or death in their desire to build the library in the park. This is wrong.

Please vote NO on Measure F.