Posted by Sunshine
a resident of Barron Park
on Nov 6, 2023 at 10:57 am
Sunshine is a registered user.

California Ave. needs to be open to traffic. It could be done without parking in the front of stores if parking is provided behind stores.
Are the forces behind closing the street trying to kill all the few remaining businesses there? It certainly appears that way.
The foolish game thing at CA Ave and El Camino must go. No one will leave their children alone to play while they shop so it just blocks up space that could be used to far better effect.
I understand that the sidewalk part of restaurants was started so that these businesses could continue to do business during Covid. It's time to push them back and open up the sidewalks to pedestrians. Restaurant expansions should not be allowed to block ones view of and access to shops selling useful services and products.
The California Ave farmers' market is better than a similar one downtown, therefore we need to keep it. We also need to encourage a variety of other shops. We need to replace the stores that sold books, stationery, art supplies, notions, shoes, and other useful items. Fortunately a hardware store has opened that replaces the one that closed. How long will it remain open if individuals and the City do not support it? They have a good selection of useful items and the proprietor is very nice and helpful.
Is it possible to keep Country Sun open somehow? Where else within walking distance can you find such a good selection of granola, grains, nuts, herbs, spices and many other items in bulk?
I would prefer to close half the restaurants and keep open those store that cater to families.

Posted by Marc Levoy
a resident of Stanford
on Nov 7, 2023 at 1:51 pm
Marc Levoy is a registered user.

I'm writing to support the overwhelming majority of Palo Alto residents, neighbors, and visitors who want to keep Cal Ave closed. It pains me to read letters advocating reopening to cars. They use the same arguments city planners used to justify the Embarcadero Freeway, the Boston Elevated Central Artery, and hundreds of other car-centric projects that have destroyed many American downtowns. I warmly recommend that these folks re-read Jane Jacobs's seminal book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities. The life of cities are in their pedestrians, and pedestrian-friendly districts. European cities figured this out a century ago, Colorado cities like Boulder and Aspen figured it out, Castro Street in Mountain View has figured it out, and the Slow Streets of San Francisco are gradually figuring it out. The number of people who benefit when a popular street having a diverse mix of restaurants and stores is turned into a pedestrian mecca far outweighs the number of drivers and merchants who benefit from turning it into a sterile thoroughfare with parking. Spend a few hours on Cal Ave any Thursday evening (or on 3rd Thursdays, when there's live music), and you'll see what towns and cities should be about.