Palo Alto delays final curb‑realignment at Southwood/East Crescent after access concerns; approves permanent five‑leg oval

The Planning and Transportation Commission on April 9 approved a permanent design for the Crescent Park five‑leg traffic oval and continued final approval of the curb realignment and bulb‑out at Southwood Drive and East Crescent to April 30 after nearby residents raised concerns that the change would reduce access for a homeowner with mobility needs.

The commission voted 7–0 to recommend the permanent five‑leg oval configuration for the intersection of Hamilton Avenue, Center Drive and Southwood Drive. Commissioners then voted 7–0 to continue the Southwood/East Crescent curb‑extension item to a date‑certain (April 30) to allow staff to meet on‑site with the homeowner at 590 East Crescent and try to resolve remaining access and parking questions.

The commission heard a staff presentation from Shala Yazdi, project engineer with the Office of Transportation, and consultant Steve Davis of Farrin Piers, who described design refinements since an earlier pilot installation. Davis said the project’s “primary goals ... were to improve safety and quality of life” by reducing cut‑through traffic and travel speeds and by adding permanent traffic‑calming elements in place of the temporary pilot features.

Staff described two linked elements of the work: (1) a permanent traffic oval at the five‑leg Hamilton/Center/Southwood intersection that replaces temporary delineators with raised splitter islands, new curb ramps where needed and drought‑tolerant landscaping; and (2) a curb extension…