This project involves partnering
with the County of San Mateo, Town of Atherton, residents,
and the Menlo Park City School District in working toward
developing a safe routes to school plan for Laurel Elementary
School. Even though the project would not include construction,
after the plan is developed, the City could apply for a
Safe Routes to School Grant which could fund implementation
of the plan.
Laurel Elementary School is a K-2
elementary school located in Atherton, near the intersection
of Ringwood Avenue and Edge Road. Laurel Elementary School
is part of the Menlo Park City School District and serves
students from Atherton, San Mateo County, and Menlo Park.
As of August 26, 2003, there are approximately 413 students
enrolled at Laurel Elementary School, broken down as follows:
K= 143 students; 1st = 136 students; and, 2nd = 134 students.
The Laurel Elementary School area,
particularly Coleman Avenue, has been identified as a location
needing improvements to facilitate safe pedestrian and bicycle
movements, while at the same time reduce vehicle speeds
and cut-through traffic. On several occasions, City staff
has met with residents and members of the school's PTA to
identify specific concerns with the current transportation
facilities in the vicinity of the school. At the City's
Joint Transportation and Bicycle Commission on November
16, 2006, the City received specific concerns from residents
and parents of students enrolled at the school about high-speed
traffic and lack of speed limit enforcement on Coleman Avenue
and Ringwood Avenue, lack of safe routes to school to Laurel
School, particularly on Coleman Avenue through the unincorporated
area, vehicles parking in the bike lanes on Ringwood Avenue,
and traffic congestion at the intersection near the school
This project will be multi-jurisdictional with the stakeholders
consisting of the City of Menlo Park, County of San Mateo,
Town of Atherton, residents, and the Menlo Park City School
District officials. The City of Menlo Park will be the lead
agency of this project.
The project was completed on May 9, 2011. Final walk through with the County of San Mateo occurred on August 10, 2011.
