Palo Alto Silver Bullet - Letters to City Council
|
|
-----Original Message-----
David Lewis, September 27, 2004
To: Bern Beecham, Mayor
Re: Support Silver Bullet Proposal
Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of the Council:
I encourage you to support the Silver Bullet Proposal to be considered by the PA Planning and Transportation Commission
this week, which authorizes mechanisms for 100% private sector financing. As a native of Palo Alto who still frequents
the city, I recognize this proposal as an exciting opportunity for the city to improve the local quality of life,
and remain a leader in progressive planning that protects the environment.
The Silver Bullet proposal promises technological solutions to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution that
causes health impacts and climate change, while also encouraging smart growth. The proposal's financing plan offers
the chance for cost-effective congestion relief at zero taxpayer cost.
Thank you for your consideration. David Lewis. Kensington, CA
-----Original Message-----
Peter S. Edelstein, September 27, 2004
Dear Palo Alto City Council,
Having been raised in Palo Alto, then attending and graduating from Stanford University, and subsequently having
served as a faculty member at the Stanford University Medical School, I have had the opportunity to watch our community's
explosive growth. Certainly there have been numerous huge benefits resulting from this community evolution, but
there have also been several significant problems associated with Palo Alto's expansion. One major negative consequence
has been the overwhelming increase in traffic congestion, along with the associated complications of pollution,
personal injuries resulting from accidents, etc.
The same academic, intellectual, and entrepreneurial spirit which has made Palo Alto an envied leader in successful
community growth should now be harnessed to address these growth-associated problems. The "Silver Bullet"
proposal slated to be discussed by the council in the near future may at first seem too futuristic a solution.
However, it is this exact type of creative approach that has made Palo Alto the success that it is today (after
all, two guys in a garage founded HP!). I urge you to consider this concept as a possible serious solution to the
multiple traffic-related issues that plague our community today and which otherwise will only worsen in the future.
Such a novel solution may yet again thrust Palo Alto to the forefront of intelligent community planning, again
making our community a model for other American cities.
Thank you. Sincerely, Peter S. Edelstein, M.D., FACS, FASCRS
-----Original Message-----
Jerry Schneider, September 24, 2004
To: Members, Palo Alto City Council
I am especially impressed with the comprehensive approach to implementing an innovative transportation system that
has been devised by Cities 21 people. It represents a model that should be followed by those who wish to participate
in our needed transportation revolution. More and more cars, however green, are not the answer we need to ward
off a growing dependency on foreign oil and to help limit, perhaps reverse somewhat, the degradation that has been
imposed on our cities by the automobile. We can do much better but we have to work together in order to overcome
the tremendous vested interests that wish only to maintain the status quo. Cities21 has shown us how this can be
done. One can hope it will be considered seriously in Palo Alto.
- Jerry Schneider, Professor Emeritus, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning University of Washington, Seattle -
Corvallis, Oregon
-----Original Message-----
Joel Garreau, September 24, 2004
Subject: personal rapid transit
Dear friends:
I've long thought personal rapid transit would be a silver bullet for Edge City transportation woes if you could
keep it as simple, customizable, scalable, affordable, and profitable as Legos. My view from a distance is that
Cities21's Silver Bullet proposal may have cracked that code. If you find this is so, I believe Palo Alto should
support this innovative effort.
Joel Garreau, Author, Edge City: Life on the New Frontier, Broad Run, VA, www.garreau.com
-----Original Message-----
James L Galanis, October 01, 2004
Subject: A Letter in Support of the Cities21 "Silver Bullet" Proposal
There is perhaps no greater irony than that of Palo Alto, birthplace of the world's most advanced technologies,
failing to solve the relatively mundane engineering problem of transporting people safely and quickly to and from
their homes.
If we've the technological savvy to sustain "Moore's Law" - three decades running of exponential growth
in chip capacity! - then let us now apply just a fraction of its power toward cleaning the air, ensuring our safety
and saving the most irrevocable of our possessions - time.
The Cities21 Silver Bullet proposal contains the best thinking that is in us. Let us embrace its visionary challenge
and prove yet again to the world exactly of what we are made.
James L. Galanis, (Fifth generation Californian, Native of Palo Alto), Berkeley, CA
----Original Message Follows----
Irvin Dawid, Sep 28, 2004
Subject: Re: Sustainable Silver Bullet for Stanford Research Park.
Without commenting on the Personal Rapit Transit proposal, I believe that Mr. Raney's exploration of infill development
of this 'aging' research park has merits.
Going from single use to the modest addition of housing would set an example for the rest of Silicon Valley, much
like the industrial park first did for the Valley of Hearts Delight. In this case, it would be demonstrating smart
growth rather than sprawl.
Sincerely,
Irvin Dawid, Sustainable Land Use (SLU) committee/Chair, Loma Prieta chapter, Sierra Club (San Mateo, Santa Clara,
San Benito counties), CA/
(Home address) Palo Alto
SLU Mission: To promote sustainable land use and engage our members in creating more livable communities to protect
and restore the human and natural environment.
-----Original Message-----
Tristan Barrientos , September 27, 2004
Subject: Silver Bullet Proposal
Much as the Bay Area is a delight to live in, we do have traffic congestion and we do have more than our fair share
of smoggy days. These have been issues since I was kid growing up here in the sixtiers and seventies. Improving
traffic flow and reducing emmissions will improve the quality of life for all of us and should be considered at
every opportunity.
This is why I urge you to look seriously at the the Silver Bullet project proposed by Cities21. This is a doable
plan that will both reduce emmissions and reduce the number of cars on the road right here in Palo Alto. And because
the project is privately funded, the cost to tax payers is zero.
I know that as a nation, we consider ourselves to be world leaders and we live up to that notion in many ways.
Unfortunately, some of the ways include cars on the road and pollutants pumped into the air. Palo Alto has a chance
to pioneer a new type of leadership, one that will make us healthier and happier. So please consider the Silver
Bullet project.
Regards, Tristan Barrientos, Palo Alto
-----Original Message-----
Norma Grench, October 17, 2004
Subject: Palo Alto Silver Bullet
Dear City Council members:
I am writing to encourage you to give the Cities21 Silver Bullet proposal a thorough look.
It is an innovative, forward thinking idea which addresses a current, but surely increasingly important, issue
for our city. As the disparity in affordable housing and increasing numbers of workers who must commute continues,
environmentally clean and efficient modes of transportation are a necesssity. Now is the time to start our forward
thinking and planning.
Thank you, Norma Grench, Palo Alto
-----Original Message-----
Catherine Crystal Foster, October 19, 2004
Subject: Cities21 Monorail
Dear Council Members:
Like most of our fellow Palo Altans, we are dismayed by the ever-growing amount of congestion and air pollution in a place we often refer to as "paradise" to our families back east. Not only are we compromising the environment, creating gridlock and inconveniencing residents and businesses, but asthma is on the rise, particularly among children, posing a serious public health problem. Traditional approaches to addressing these problems have failed to solve them, though we have made some progress.
We were delighted, however, to see that the spirit of innovation that makes Palo Alto great has extended to addressing problems of over-reliance on cars here in Silicon Valley. The innovative Cities21 Personal Monorail project holds promise for reducing pollution and congestion, freeing up parking, and encouraging the use of public transportation. We think it is worth a hard look by the Council, and hope you agree.
Sincerely, Jon Foster and Catherine Crystal Foster, Palo Alto
-----Original Message-----
Jonas Persson, October 19, 2004
Dear Palo Alto City Council:
I encourage you to support the Cities21 Silver Bullet proposal currently
being considered by the Planning and Transportation commission. I have found this project to be very timely and
it would give Palo Alto, once again, the opportunity to be on the leading edge in a most necessary urban communication
revolution.
We are facing serious long term threats both to our environment and to our lifestyles caused, among other things,
by greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and congestion. The Silver Bullet proposal is a leading edge project
that will help pioneer a new way solving our transportation problems. I also strongly believe the fact that this
is a privately financed project with no impact on already stretched public transportation budgets should make it
an especially worthwhile project for Palo Alto.
Thank you for your consideration. Jonas Persson, President, Tollgate
Networks
-----Original Message-----
Subject: Support the Silver Bullet
Dear Palo Alto City Council members,
I have followed the Cities21 Silver Bullet proposal for the past three years. While the justifications for the
BART and LRT extensions have diminished during this time, the Silver Bullet story has continued to improve. Of
particular note is their 2003 study which discovered strong support for the Silver Bullet concept.
On May 1, 2001, the Milpitas City Council sent a letter to Palo Alto expressing unanimous support for the Cities21
project. The text of that letter follows.
I strongly urge Palo Alto to consider the new Cities21 proposal to adopt a franchising strategy to implement their
vision. A small amount of support from the City of Palo also could leverage into the transformation of the city
at no taxpayer cost. Given rising energy costs, traffic congestion, and cut-backs in bus service, the Silver Bullet
could make a huge difference for Palo Alto residents and workers.
Sincerely, Rob Means, Milpitas, CA
=============================================
City of Milpitas, 455 East Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas, CA 94035
May 1, 2001
Dear Cities21:
At its April 17, 2001, meeting, the Milpitas City Council heard a presentation on Cities21 and its proposal to
establish a transportation corridor as a model for the rest of the Valley. This innovative and pioneering concept
was brought to the Council's attention by Milpitas resident Rob Means.
The City Council was unanimous in its desire to encourage the founders and supporters of Cities21 in their efforts
to address the transportation problems that impact the entire Santa Clara Valley. The members of the Council join
me in commending Cities21 as you work to provide an alternative to the automobile and as you explore new
technology for transit centered smart growth.
The members of Cities21 are to be applauded for your vision.
Sincerely, Henry C. Manyan, Mayor