RE: City Proposal for a New Tunnel under Alma and Tracks between Lindero Dr (that's the street between Meadow and Charleston in the Circles) and Park Blvd

[Parag Patkar]

Hello again,

A friendly reminder that the community meeting for the City to get feedback from all of us regarding the bikeped tunnel options going under Alma and the tracks, proposed at El Dorado Ave, Loma Verde, Lindero, Ferne and San Antonio (this last one not a tunnel) is at 7:30 PM today at the El Palo Alto Room in Mitchell Park Community Center.

 

Parag

Cell: 1 (510) 418 2912

 

From: Parag Patkar <pa...@virtunetsystems.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2025 5:23 PM
To: 'paloalto...@googlegroups.com' <paloalto...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: City Proposal for a New Tunnel under Alma and Tracks between Lindero Dr (that's the street between Meadow and Charleston in the Circles) and Park Blvd

 

Hello All,

There has been a recent development at City Hall regarding grade separation, this time between Charleston and Meadow rail intersections.

The City has initiated a project to evaluate additional tunnels dedicated to bicyclists and pedestrians crossing Alma and the rail tracks.

Specifically, the City is evaluating building a tunnel that starts at Lindero Dr (street between Charleston and Meadow in the Circles area) goes under the tracks and under Alma, comes up on Park Blvd, thus directing bikeped traffic through Robles park.

This City is currently soliciting citizen feedback via a survey on this link. A council vote is planned for summer next year. There are 8 choices listed in the survey, two of which (Options D and E) involve a tunnel between Lindero dr and Park Blvd. The survey will close on September 12 and it will be the basis for deciding which two options the City moves forward with.

Attached picture has this proposed tunnel and ramp.

 

IMHO:

1. We already have two rail crossings, however imperfect, at Charleston and Meadow. We don’t need any more.
2. See attached Google map of the connection it makes between Lindero and Park. I would love your feedback if you would use the new tunnel to cross Alma and the tracks ? my email address is pa...@virtunetsystems.com.
3. Also, if the Charleston and Meadow rail grade options - viaduct, hybrid or underpass options are built, then this new Lindero tunnel will become redundant, since we will have three underpasses in a span of 0.3 miles. It might also have to be torn down to accommodate the raised rail.

IMHO, the ideally suited locations listed in the survey are:

1. Option A – Tunnel under Alma and Tracks between El Dorado Ave and Park Blvd.
1. There is a 1.3 mile stretch between Cal Ave underpass and Meadow which has no crossings. This option fixes that.
2. It services the City’s new North Ventura development plan that encourages high density mixed-use development.
3. The eminent domain property acquisition is of a commercial surface parking lot (other options have residential property acquisition).
4. An even better location is Colorado Ave which does better on all points above and has no property acquisitions. I need to investigate why this option was dropped from the survey.
2. Option G – Tunnel under Alma and Tracks between Ferne Ave and Del Medio. The advantages of this option are:
1. There is a 0.8 mile stretch between Charleston and San Antonio without a crossing across Alma and the tracks. This option fixes that.
2. It services the City’s new San Antonio Road development plan that encourages high density mixed-use development projects.
3. There is no property acquisition.
3. Option H – No tunnel here. This option creates a center bike lane on San Antonio Rd overpass between Nita Ave till Mountain View. It has all the advantages of Option G above. No full property acquisitions but the street curb on San Antonio Ave will be impacted.

I will be happy to address any of your questions. My cell phone # is 1 (510) 418 2912 and email address is pa...@virtunetsystems.com

 

Thank you for your time.

 

Parag

 

Parag Patkar

4117 Park Blvd, Palo Alto

Cell: 1 (510) 418 2912