Need everyone's help to eliminate the 'Elevated Rail' option for S. Palo Alto, once and for all, at this week's XCAP vote.
Parag Patkar
Hello Neighbors
As a quick (re)introduction, my name is Parag Patkar. I live on Park Blvd. I am involved with a petition drive which clearly states that we want the train going in a trench / tunnel, and under any condition we don’t want it going overhead, behind our houses. That petition now has 595 signatures and this email is going out to all signees of that petition.
The reason for my urgent email is this, the Palo Alto committee (called XCAP) that is tasked with forwarding recommendations to the City Council about Grade Separation options is voting this Wednesday, on whether the 'Elevated Rail' option (where trains runs on an unsightly tall structure) for South Palo Alto intersections stays or goes. All of us of course want the train to go in a trench or a tunnel so it is absolutely imperative that any 'Elevated Rail' option be voted out at the outset at the XCAP meeting this Wednesday.
If you could send an email to XC...@CityofPaloAlto.org and city.c...@cityofpaloalto.org, to eliminate the overhead rail option once and for all, that will be fantastic. And please please do this before Wednesday, October 14th.
I also want to point you to an extraordinary presentation (click here for PDF) that Keith Reckdahl has prepared. Keith is South Palo Alto resident's representative on the XCAP.
My summary of this presentation is that the construction consultant (called AECOM) that Palo Alto has hired for this project has done a sloppy job of presenting a cost estimate, timeline, and engineering challenges associated with putting the train in a trench. They have tripled the costs and doubled the timeline (slide 3) versus other projects of a similar scale.
In my opinion the City Council should pause AECOM's contract and get a second opinion. The project of this scale ($300M - $1B) must require a second opinion.
Another plan of action would be for us to individually pester the candidates standing for City Council to promise us that no matter what, they will not vote for ‘Elevated Rail’ option if they are elected.
Feel free to call or email me if you need additional info.
Parag
Parag Patkar
Cell 1 (510) 418 2912
Email pa...@virtunetsystems.com
4117 Park Blvd