In September 2015, Re-Imagine Menlo Park published a bike-related online survey designed to collect information on how Menlo Park residents view two potential improvements to the city’s bike network, (1) the addition of bike lanes on El Camino Real and (2) the addition of bike lanes to sections of Menlo and Ravenswood Avenues and streets approaching Menlo Avenue (Santa Cruz and University Avenues). The first investment would primarily improve north-south bike travel; the second, east-west bike travel. The results will be reported directly to the City of Menlo Park and here on this website/blog.
General Re-Imagine Menlo Park Objectives
Help Menlo Park residents, property owners, businesses, developers and service providers make our city a more vibrant and beautiful place to live.
Leverage Internet and computer technology to encourage more residents to constructively engage in the civic decision-making about potential public and private investments within the areas included in the Menlo Park’s Specific Plan.
Provide information that helps residents and our city government make better choices and decisions.
Encourage residents to understand both sides of issues, develop their own well-informed views and positions.
Develop and share my own personal views, positions and reasoning for them.
Bike Survey Objectives
Make more residents aware of BOTH the field trial that Menlo Park is considering for bike lanes on El Camino Real and the availability of an east-west bike connectivity alternative that centers on new bike facilities on Ravenswood and Menlo Avenues.
Understand the views and preference residents currently have about these two alternatives.
Foster constructive discussions about the many costs and benefits associated with each investment alternative so our city makes the best possible decisions.
Survey Results
Re-Imagine Menlo Park will periodically publish survey results on this page. This will include summary data and the actual resident comments.
October 12, 2015
Menlo Park residents have submitted almost 175 survey responses in the first three weeks. The following impressions and comments reflect the 150 responses submitted prior to October 8.
Note: A small number of residents did not answer all survey questions.
First Impressions
These impressions refer only to residents who participated in the survey and may not be representative of the entire Menlo Park community.
- Support for both new bike facilities is significant from all residents.
- Both residents who bike regularly and those who don’t place a higher priority for an east-west bike network connection versus El Camino bike lanes.
- There is also significant opposition to bike lanes – especially on El Camino Real – from residents who do NOT ride bikes regularly.
- Opponents of bike lanes on EL Camino Real – 47% of the all participants – most often feel they will not be sufficiently safe, and are concerned about the impact bike lanes would have on motorists and small business owners who lose street parking.
- Opponents of bike lanes on Ravenswood and Menlo Avenue – 16% of all participants – most often either feel there simply is not enough space to install them or already feel comfortable riding on this corridor.
- Opponents of BOTH – 17% of all participants – most often say investing in more bike facilities should be a very low city priority.
Resident Comments
Here are comments from a random sample of fifty survey submissions. Submitted comments that simply stated either support or opposition and did not provide additional information are NOT included in this area.