There are good reasons why a Santa Cruz pedestrian street could boost the vitality of Downtown Menlo Park.

• While many resident say they would frequent downtown IF there were “a more attractive mix of shops and restaurants”, there is too little foot traffic to justify opening a new business – especially if you know what your doing. The financial challenge and risk are too high. No retail business or restaurant wants to be responsible for generating all it’s own foot traffic.

• Since we are in the midst of good economic times any businessperson who is willing to take a chance and open a new business downtown has likely already done so. (Imagine what it will be like when the economy goes thru another down cycle.) But the economic recovery has largely passed downtown Menlo Park by.

• We will get out of this predicament only if we help our existing businesses do better. If they do well, others will come. The marketplace ultimately determines when an investment is a good idea not our desires.

• So the critical step is to get more residents downtown by making the experience appealing. For example, Café Barrone is likely the most successful food establishment in town. Why? Food and service is clearly excellent but the outdoor ambience is critically important. Lot’s of seating distant from traffic, plenty of afternoon sun, it’s quiet enough to enjoy a conversation, and there is sufficient co-located underground parking. None of our existing downtown restaurants can offer a similar experience – but a pedestrian street would.

• There are many ways other cities have used pedestrian streets to attract residents and customers. Regular events. Attractive places to stroll. Comfortable seating to rest feet and people watch. Interesting sculpture. Beautiful fountains, landscaping and flowers. Things kids can explore. It takes a lot of work but it does work.

• Menlo Park cannot hope to become a destination spot like the Stanford Shopping Center or Downtown Palo Alto, nor do I believe that desirable. But Menlo Park has significant advantages that should be leveraged: Menlo Park is adjacent to Atherton, one of the wealthiest towns in America and one that does NOT have its own downtown, there are three large high schools and one small college near downtown, and the two multi-use developments planned for El Camino could supply more downtown foot traffic and hundreds of new customers.

Menlo Park does not need to initially create a long pedestrian street that extends the full length of Santa Cruz Avenue. I recommend that it collect the best ideas it can in a SHORT period – from those who have operated successful ones and then experiment on a single block, one where a couple of restaurants or cafes already exists. Even if they are not on the block they might still be close enough to serve tables in the pedestrian-only area. Then we would have lots of useful data on what works and doesn’t, and why. Strong progress is an exercise in “bold steps” followed by constant improvements.