FW: Can we count on your vote in the Council against any 'Elevated Rail' options for Charleston and Meadow intersections?
Parag Patkar
Hello again Neighbors
Lydia Kou is currently serving as a Palo Alto City Council Member. She is also running for re-election. Below is her position on this topic.
I couldn’t help but highlight the portions in her email that I loved. 😊
Parag
Cell: 1 (510) 418 2912
From: Lydia Kou <kou....@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 11:37 AM
To: Parag Patkar <pa...@virtunetsystems.com>
Subject: Re: Can we count on your vote in the Council against any 'Elevated Rail' options for Charleston and Meadow intersections?
Dear Parag,
My apologies for my tardy response.
While serving on the Council Rail Committee, I was invited to Mandar Borkar's home to meet some neighbors to discuss the grade separations. I remember meeting you at this meeting along with many others. At this neighbors' meeting, I did encourage that the petition be circulated and to have it presented not only to the Council Rail Committee but also the Council. I did support the requests in this petition throughout the discussions on the Council Rail Committee and City Council.
I also want to briefly provide you with some history of my activism prior to becoming a Council Member. When High Speed Rail (HSR), back in 2008 or 2009, was passed by voters and started the discussions of coming through Palo Alto, I was very concerned. Needless to say I voted NO to HSR. Their proposals mostly had to do with elevated rail which means it would be on a berm or wall and that was then unacceptable to me, and it is still unacceptable to me today.
For Palo Alto's grade separation, I have always advocated for the tunnel and while I appreciate all the work the XCAP has done, I am eager for Caltrain's Corridor Study which can be a peer review of the tunnel and trench alternatives. As a Council Member, I have served on Caltrain's Local Policy Maker Group which consists of Council Members from rail corridor cities which meet once a month. I have asked time after time why Caltrain's electrification plan would not have had a comprehensive corridor study on the feasibility of the different alternatives and cost analysis engaging all rail corridor cities prior to their business plan and construction. Needless to say, I am glad Caltrain will be conducting this study now.
Below grade options are the preference, however, I am also interested in reviewing the underpass proposal. I believe the proposal was not provided with enough attention nor communicated well to the community by the consultant and city staff.
Lastly, I ask that residents support an equitable solution citywide, all along the rail corridor. The negative impacts, especially for traffic, should not be shifted heavily to one or other streets or neighborhoods, but dispersed.
I wish and hope all is well... take care.
Kind regards,
Lydia
Office hour appointment https://calendly.com/lydiakou
On Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 2:43 PM Parag Patkar <pa...@virtunetsystems.com> wrote:
Hi Lydia
First of all, thank you for your hard work on the council in support of Palo Altans, and thank you for encouraging the ‘no raised rail and no eminent domain’ petition for S PA back in 2018. That petition now has 594 signees.
Like we spoke, can you support us a 100% in voting against any elevated rail options for S. PA intersections when this matter comes up in the council?
With kind regards,
Parag
4117 Park Blvd
Cell: 1 (510) 418 2912