Menlo Park staff outline CIP priorities and a $60 million estimate for the Middle Avenue Caltrain crossing

Menlo Park public works staff on Dec. 10 told the Complete Streets Commission that the department has prioritized projects tied to council goals including climate action, downtown vibrancy, emergency preparedness, housing and safe routes to school, and outlined a five‑year capital improvement plan and 2026 construction priorities.

At a meeting chaired by Athena Ira Comos, Public Works Director Azalea Mitch said the department has an operating budget of about $42 million and a staff of roughly 72 but has struggled with vacancies in recent years. "We presented to the city council a plan with 66 CIP projects," Mitch said, and staff are balancing carryover funding and a $19 million request for the coming year.

Why it matters: the presentation folded project planning, design and construction into a unified CIP approach intended to preserve pavement condition and deliver safety and accessibility upgrades while working within limited staffing and funding.

Staff highlighted five projects identified for 2026 construction: an annual slurry seal program covering up to 14 streets, the Bay and Pierce roads improvement package, the Sand Hill Road water main replacement (about 4,300 linear feet) with coordinated pavement repair, an on‑call asphalt and concrete repair contract, and resurfacing tied to Cal Water work. Assistant Public Works Director Michael Fu said the city will go to bid next spring with construction following from summer to fall.

Safe Routes to School: transportation staff described intersection upgrades at Oak Avenue/Oak Knoll Lane and Sharon Road/East Ridge Avenue — including curb ramps, bulb‑outs and high‑visibility crosswalks — and said flashing beacons will be installed at Sharon Road. "There is a transportation authority grant eligible up to $450,000; however, the project cost are estimated about 500," Fu said, noting the project will be bid in January 2026 and constructed in summer break to minimize school disruption.

Parking and EV charging: staff said Plaza 7 and 8 downtown will be reconstructed and restriped to meet current code, with lighting, accessibility improvements and EV chargers. The project scope includes roughly 25 level‑2 chargers (about 50 stalls with dual ports) and six level‑3 chargers. Staff reported $2.7 million currently available and noted an April MTC award of up to $2.2 million for the City Hall scope; Plaza 7 is tentatively slated for fall 2026, while Plaza 8 may need additional appropriation.

Caltrain crossing cost escalation: Mitch told commissioners that the long‑planned Middle Avenue Caltrain undercrossing — for which council selected “option 3” in 2023 and has been in design with Caltrain — now faces a steep increase in estimated cost. "At this point, we're struggling with a 60,000,000 potentially $60,000,000 price tag," Mitch said, adding that earlier engineering estimates had placed the project between $20 million and $30 million. Staff said some grant funding exists for portions of construction but the updated estimates produce a sizable shortfall; they plan to return to council early next year for a go/no‑go decision and to seek further funding direction.

Coordination and constraints: staff emphasized monthly coordination with utilities (PG&E, West Bay, Cal Water) and noted that some outside agencies sometimes expand scope mid‑project, which can change sequencing and cost. On the Bay and Pierce corridor work, Fu said the city will propose parking removals on the US‑101 side of Pierce Road to make room for a bicycle lane contingent on council approval and that buffers (not bollards) are planned where roadway width is constrained.

Next steps: staff said they will present the street maintenance projects as an informational item to council on Dec. 16, 2025, return to council next year to finalize design and cost appropriation for the Caltrain crossing, and work on public outreach for parking plaza redesigns and EV charger installations.

What was decided: the commission approved the minutes for Nov. 12, 2025; no other formal votes occurred on project appropriations during the meeting.

Sources: staff presentation and answers in public Q&A from Public Works Director Azalea Mitch, Assistant Public Works Director Michael Fu and Transportation Manager Joanna Chan to the Complete Streets Commission.