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 and realigned approach at Southwood and East Crescent that formalizes a three‑way stop and shortens pedestrian crossing distances.

Transportation staff said the oval’s central island will include a truck‑mountable apron so emergency vehicles and refuse trucks can circulate. The plans show new crosswalks and replacement or modification of noncompliant ramps to meet accessibility requirements. Staff said they worked with the city’s landscape architects to specify low, drought‑resistant plantings and that City Parks would water new plantings by truck until they establish.

At the Southwood/East Crescent location, staff said state law enacted as AB 413 (now reflected in the California Vehicle Code) affects on‑street parking around crosswalks. Under the rule staff cited, parking is prohibited for 20 feet from the near side of a crosswalk if there is no curb extension and 15 feet when a curb extension is present. Staff showed the planned curb extension would create a 15‑foot no‑parking zone measured from the new crosswalk, and estimated the distance between the existing noncompliant curb ramp and the edge of the no‑parking zone would be roughly 19–20 feet — a dimension staff said could allow a caregiver van to park nearby depending on vehicle type and door location.

Neighbors supporting the permanent oval said the pilot reduced speeds and confusing traffic movements at the five‑leg intersection. But multiple residents — including James Durant, who identified himself as an East Crescent resident — and homeowners at 590 East Crescent told commissioners the proposed bulb‑out would make it hard for caregivers to park close enough to an existing curb cut that they use to enter the home. Durant said, “Parking in front of the disability cutout is essential to my safety and accessing my home,” and requested staff continue to work with the household to preserve safe drop‑off access.

Commissioners pressed staff for clarifications on several technical points: how the 15‑foot/20‑foot parking limits would be measured, whether the planned curb detail would be a vertical curb or a rolled/flat curb that eases van access, how drainage would be handled around the new curb line, and whether additional traffic counts or speed data were available. Staff said the most recent formal counts at that location were from October 2022 and earlier baseline counts from 2019; they also reported field observations and said the 2022 counts showed reduced speeds and volumes relative to 2019 on the studied streets.

Given unresolved access concerns from the homeowner directly affected by the Southwood/East Crescent curb extension, Commissioner Templeton moved — and Commissioner Peterson seconded — to continue the curb‑extension item to April 30 and direct staff to meet on‑site with the homeowner, document the household’s functional needs (vehicle type, door side, mobility device), and explore design adjustments (for example rolled‑curb options or changes to the curb line) to preserve safe drop‑off/pick‑up. The motion passed 7–0.

Separately, commissioners approved the permanent five‑leg oval as shown in the staff plans, with the motion noting added lane‑guidance markings and revised signage will be included in the final construction documents to reduce wrong‑way turns and increase driver compliance. That motion also passed 7–0.

Staff listed next steps as completion of final design and preparation of construction documents, procurement of funding, and scheduling of construction once design and funding are in place. Staff also committed to returning with more precise measurements and clarifications on curb geometry and drainage, and to continue outreach with the adjacent household about design options before the April 30 follow‑up report.

Votes at a glance - Southwood/East Crescent curb extension: continued to April 30 for additional on‑site meeting with adjacent homeowner and design refinements; mover: Commissioner Templeton; second: Commissioner Peterson; vote: 7 yes, 0 no. - Five‑leg Hamilton/Center/Southwood traffic oval: approved as shown in staff plans; mover: Commissioner G.; second: (record indicates a second); vote: 7 yes, 0 no.

Ending: The commission’s action preserves the commission’s earlier direction to pursue permanent traffic‑calming improvements while requiring staff to resolve specific accessibility and parking issues at the Southwood/East Crescent curb extension before final approval. Staff will return with an update at the April 30 meeting.