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Palo Alto residents urge permanent steps to prevent suicides at Caltrain tracks; city schedules grade‑separation workshops
Summary
Several residents told the Palo Alto City Council on Aug. 18 that rail tracks are the community’s primary ‘lethal means’ and urged immediate and permanent measures, including elevating tracks and pursuing federal funds. City staff said design work is proceeding and listed upcoming public workshops on grade separation.
Several Palo Alto residents told the City Council on Monday that the city must move quickly from discussion to permanent measures to reduce suicides at Caltrain crossings.
Resident Arlena A. told the council the tracks are the community’s most accessible lethal means, saying, “That is our fully accessible means as we have been reminded on average of almost once a month this year alone.” Debbie Makamal, a Palo Alto resident and parent of a Gunn High School student, urged the council to assign staff to pursue federal funding and to implement short‑term protective measures while a long‑term fix is pursued. “Please stop discussing and get to citywide implementation,” Makamal said. Parent Jamie Spall asked the council to take action to…
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