Transportation Demand Management - 2012

Project Description, Status and Documents

 Description

The project consists of changing the requirement to reconstruct intersections adjacent to Sacred Heart Schools to a requirement to implement and expand a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program. The Conditional Use Permits for both the Lower/Middle School Reconstruction Project and the Practice Gym Project contain a condition that requires the construction of certain intersection improvements listed below.

1. Add a second lane on the Emilie Avenue stop sign controlled intersection approach. Stripe the approach for one left and one right turn lane.

2. Add a second lane on the Elena Avenue stop sign controlled intersection approach. Stripe the approach for one left and one right turn lane.

3. Add a second lane to the southbound Elena Avenue approach to the Park Lane all-way stop intersection.

When the intersection improvements were actually designed, it was discovered that approximately 12 heritage trees would need to be removed to accommodate the expanded roadways. Heritage tree removal of that extent would be a significant environmental impact.

Sacred Heart Schools proposed to replace the Use Permit conditions that require the intersection improvements described above (including the removal of 12 heritage trees) with an expanded TDM program. The new TDM Program condition involves expansion of an existing, voluntary TDM Program that has evolved and grown over several years. The existing program includes shuttles to Caltrain and Samtrans buses at the Menlo Park Caltrain station, staggered school start and dismissal times, reconfigured drop-off and pick-up areas, carpool, bike and walk-to-school encouragement and other similar measures. The expanded program adds to the existing program and includes components such as new off-site parking, additional carpool matching, increased education campaign about parking and commute alternatives, and additional parking enforcement. The goal of the expanded TDM Program is to reduce congestion at the above intersections to a greater extent than would be achieved by the intersection improvements.

On December 18, 2013 the Atherton City Council approved an amended Conditional Use Permits for both the Lower/Middle School Reconstruction Project and the Practice Gym Project containing conditions that limit enrollment at the Schools to a maximum of 1,196 students and require implementation of a Transportation Demand Management program to limit the number of vehicle trips accessing the campus to 6,000 vehicle trips per day.

Status – January 2018

An independent consultant has been annually monitoring compliance with the TDM program standards since 2015. Compliance with the standard has been certified each year since the Conditional Use Permits were amended.

Documents
Addendum to the Master Plan Environmental Impact Report (PDF)