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1. What are the goals of the Transportation Master Plan?

The Transportation Master Plan, when completed, will provide a detailed vision, set goals and performance metrics for network performance, and outline an implementation strategy for improvements to be implemented locally and for local contributions towards regional improvements. The key goals of the Transportation Master Plan, as identified through the City’s ConnectoMenlo Circulation Element adopted in November 2016 and the Climate Action Plan, are:

• Safety: Vision Zero – Eliminate traffic fatalities and reduce the number of non-fatal collisions by 50% by 2040.
• Sustainability: Enable the City to meet the goals of the Climate Action Plan, including a 27 percent greenhouse gas emission reduction from 2005 levels by 2020.
• Mobility Choice: Design transportation projects to accommodate all modes and people of all abilities. Encourage the use of lower emission modes such as walking, biking and transit.
• Congestion Management: Manage traffic congestion to reduce travel time on city streets and minimize cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets, including the encouragement of the use of lower emission modes such as walking, biking, and transit, and prioritizing the safety of children, seniors, and the public.

2. What is the purpose of the Transportation Master Plan, and why is it needed?

The Transportation Master Plan will allow the City to bridge the policy framework within the adopted Circulation Element and project-level efforts by:

• Identifying a comprehensive list of citywide infrastructure projects and strategic programs to enhance the transportation network;
• Updating the City’s Bicycle Transportation Plan and Sidewalk Master Plan;
• Ranking the individual projects and programs for implementation using community-set goals and criteria; and
• Identifying potential funding/financing options for implementation.

Without a Transportation Master Plan, the City can still continue to pursue individual projects for grants and/or construction efforts. However, these projects are often lacking context and a relationship to the broader transportation network and City goals. Without a Master Plan, as priorities evolve over time, the City must continually re-prioritize projects, which reduces efficiency, lengthens implementation timelines, and limits effectiveness of grant pursuits to aid in funding opportunities. In addition, without the Plan, the City’s Transportation Impact Fee program, last updated in 2009, would not be updated with transportation projects that reflect the City’s current goals and priorities.

 

3. What is the Oversight and Outreach Committee?

The Oversight and Outreach Committee (OOC) is a Brown Act body appointed by the City Council to:

• Provide advisory input and recommendations to the project team regarding the outreach process and draft Master Plan materials and submittals;
• Guide and keep the project process on track to meet the key milestones; and
• Reach out to community members to share content and encourage participation at community engagement activities such as workshops, meetings, and other planning activities.

The OOC comprises 11 members: two at-large members, two members of the City Council, three members from local organizations, and one member from each of the following City commissions:

• Complete Streets Commission
• Planning Commission
• Environmental Quality Commission
• Parks and Recreation Commission

4. How much would it cost to construct the citywide improvement recommendations project list and how will the city get funding for them?

The Transportation Master Plan will develop preliminary cost estimates for each improvement identified in the project list. These estimates will be used to update City’s Transportation Impact Fee which is charged to new development based on land use and size.

Funding opportunities for these improvements could include: existing allocated City funds, local/regional/ federal grants, bonds/loans, and private funds collected through the City’s Transportation Impact Fee program.

5. What is the transportation impact fee and why is it needed?

In essence, a Transportation Impact Fee program ensures that new development and redevelopment pays a proportional fair share contribution for the cost of new transportation infrastructure that is deemed necessary and reasonably related to accommodating the impact of new development within the City limits. Fees collected under this program will be used to fund the construction of transportation improvements in conjunction with other funds (e.g. grants, bonds, loans, etc.). Menlo Park last updated its Transportation Impact Fee program for new development and redevelopment in October 2009. The fees are adjusted each year based on an industry construction cost index, but the projects included in the plan have not been updated since 2009.

Concurrent with preparation of the Transportation Master Plan, the City is updating the current Transportation Impact Fee program. The update would provide a mechanism to modernize the City’s fee program to collect funds toward construction of improvements identified and prioritized in the Transportation Master Plan.

6. Will the community have a chance to provide feedback on the citywide improvement project list and/or suggest new projects to be included on the list?

Yes, the OOC and the Complete Streets Commission reviewed the draft list of projects at their meetings in August and September of 2018. Updates to the project list based on feedback received were provided to the OOC at their December meeting. Staff has continued to receive feedback on the project list and will incorporate feedback received through the end of April 2019 into the ranking of projects following the direction of the OOC and Council on the prioritzation system. The next opportunity for the community to provide feedback will be through a community workshop and online open house of the prioritized list of projects tentatively scheduled for summer 2019.

7. What are the prioritization criteria used for project ranking, and will the community have a chance to provide feedback on how projects will be prioritized?

Yes, a scoring system is currently being developed and will be reviewed by the OOC and City Council. The projects are being grouped according to their implementation timing and cost and will be ranked on a set of prioritization criteria using the approved scoring system. The community will be able to provide feedback on the prioritized grouping of projects during the community workshop and online open house tentatively scheduled for summer 2019. The set of prioritization criteria include the following:

• Safety
• Congestion management
• Transportation sustainability
• Location of schools
• Sensitive populations (daycares, senior centers, communities of concern)
• Greenhouse gas reduction/person throughput
• Opportunities for green stormwater infrastructure

8. The project list has many transportation related acronyms, terminology and technical terms. How can the city make this easier to understand?

As part of the release of the citywide improvement recommendations project list, there will be a collection of exhibits (a “toolbox”) designed to help illustrate typical recommendations. The community is also encouraged to reach out to City staff for any clarification if needed.