City Council to discuss Santa Cruz Avenue 600-block closure on June 10
In August 2023, the Menlo Park City Council closed a portion of Santa Cruz Avenue, between Curtis and Doyle Streets, to eastbound vehicular traffic to allow for enhanced outdoor communal space and outdoor dining opportunities for restaurants adjacent to the street closure. Subsequently, restaurants expanded outdoor dining areas into the vehicle travel lane and the City installed a bike lane. In March 2025, the City Council discussed ongoing street closures downtown and directed staff to return with agenda items for determinations on street closures.
At the June 10 meeting, the City Council will consider options for the closed 600-block of Santa Cruz Avenue, including reopening the street to vehicles, maintaining the closure and improving the outdoor picnic seating. The City Council will also receive information on timelines for next steps, including potential items such as road striping and seating installations.
Find more information on how to join the meeting at menlopark.gov/agendas.
Royal E. Bales June 09, 2025 at 5:12 pm
1255 Sherman Avenue
Menlo Park CA 94025
June 9, 2025
Dear Menlo Park City Council:
We are writing in support of maintaining the partial closure of the 600 block of Santa Cruz Avenue.
We are aware of the loss of parking and the inconvenience to vehicular traffic of the current configuration.
But we suggest benefits of the closure outweigh the inconvenience:
• The bike lane provides unprecedented security for school-age riders.
• The picnic tables provide a much-needed gathering place, for youngsters and seniors alike.
• The outdoor dining tables at Left Bank and Vida Bistro are immensely popular.
• The area brings a sense of community and camaraderie to downtown Menlo Park.
• Bon Marché brought local products to downtown during the week. (We hope it will return!)
• And local merchants have invested their own resources to promote the area. We do not consider this a “sense of entitlement,” as expressed by a Los Altos resident.
We have invested most of our lives in Menlo Park.
We have resided at a Menlo Park address since 1962.
Our careers were at Menlo College and Stanford and affiliates, respectively.
Our children attended Los Lomitas, La Entrada, Menlo School, and Menlo-Atherton High.
Thank you for your attention to our concerns.
Royal E. “Gene” and F. Kathleen “Kathy” Bales
Kait June 10, 2025 at 7:01 pm
For goodness’ sake. look at the hugely gorgeous/successful transformation of downtown Los Gatos. Its is lined with attractive enclosures for local restaurants–not the pathetic, cheap tents that mooch off of Palo Also, Menlo Park, and San Carlos’s endless generosity. If these restaurants wants to survive/expand, let them pay for the added real estate. Covid is over. Pay your part, people.