Facebook Development Agreement Should Include Bicycle Improvements

Facebook’s Bicycle Investment Plans
Facebook has announced plans to make significant investments in bicycle infrastructure in Menlo Park and East Palo Alto - funding improved bike lanes on routes leading to the Facebook Campus and partly funding the missing one-mile section of the Bay Trail [1][2][3][4].

These investments will benefit both Facebook and the community by enabling both Facebook commuters and local residents to bicycle for more trips, which will help reduce traffic congestion, air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, health care costs, transportation costs, roadway maintenance costs, and traffic-related fatalities and injuries.

The Menlo Park City Council should document these bicycle infrastructure investment plans as Public Benefits in the Facebook Campus Development Agreement to give assurance to both Facebook and the City of Menlo Park that the funds are allocated to appropriate bicycle improvement projects that will effectively achieve the primary goal of the investments (the reduction of vehicle trips) and to ensure their completion in a timely manner.

Menlo Park Bicycle Commission Recommendations
The Bicycle Commission recommended that the Facebook Development Agreement include the following bicycle improvements in order to assist Facebook in encouraging non-automotive commuting [5]:

1. Completion of the missing segment of the Bay Trail

2. Additional striping of bike lanes on Willow Rd from Middlefield Rd to Bayfront Exprwy

3. Additional striping of bike lanes on University Ave from Woodland Ave to Bayfront Exprwy

4. Additional striping of bike lanes on Bay Rd from the Bay Trail to Willow Rd

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Analysis
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) measured the cross-section dimensions of the streets included in the Bicycle Commission’s recommendations and concluded that bike lanes or shared lane markings (“sharrows”) could be installed to fill all of the existing gaps in the bike lanes on the Willow Rd, University Ave, and Bay Rd routes without modifying any existing sidewalks or medians.

SVBC has provided maps and conceptual drawings showing proposed striping and pavement marking options that would provide safe, continuous bike routes to the Facebook Campus, including on the Willow Rd and Univesity Ave Highway 101 overpasses [6].

East Palo Alto Analysis
Some sections of the routes recommended by the Menlo Park Bicycle Commission for improvement are located in East Palo Alto. In comments on the Facebook Campus EIR, East Palo Alto requested that bicycle improvements on University Ave and Bay Rd be implemented to address non-vehicular transporation needs and to assist Facebook in meeting its aggressive TDM goals. East Palo Alto staff provided a map showing where bike lanes and sharrows should be placed. [7]

Menlo Park Planning Commission Comments
All seven Planning Commissioners made comments in support of improved bicycle infrastructure as a Public Benefit to be included in the Facebook Development Agreement at the Planning Commission Study Session on January 12, 2012 [8].

Public Comments
More than half of the written comments received by Menlo Park during the Notice of Preparation (NOP) scoping period [9] and during the Environmental Impact Report public review period from individuals [10] included recommendations to improve bicycle access to the Facebook Campus.

At every Bicycle Commission, Transportation Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council meeting held at which the Facebook Campus project was discussed (since December 2011), many members of the public have voiced their support for improving bicycle infrastructure in the vicinity of the Facebook Campus.

Conclusion
The inclusion of Facebook's proposal to provide funding for projects to create safe, continuous bike lanes on Willow Rd, University Ave, and Bay Rd, and partial funding for the completion of the missing one-mile section of the Bay Trail should be included as Public Benefits in the Development Agreement.  

References
1. Sandy Brundage, Facebook Unveils Bike Plan, The Almanac, January 31, 2012. 

2. Colin Heyne, Facebook commits to improvements for bike routes to new campus, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, February 1, 2012.

3. Erchi Zhang, Proposed Facebook campus brings pride to Menlo Park, worry to East Palo Alto, Peninsula Press, February 9, 2012.

4. Lisa Seyfriend, With a Little Help from Advocates, Facebook “Likes” Bike Trails, The Alliance for Biking & Walking, February 8, 2012.

5. Greg Klingsporn, Chair, Bicycle Commission, Bicycle commission comments on the draft EIR for the Facebook project, Menlo Park Bicycle Commission, January 9, 2012.

6. Andrew Boone, Bike Lanes on Willow Rd 101 Overpass, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, January 9, 2012.

7. John Doughty, Kathleen Kane, Carlos Romero, David Woods, Facebook Campus Project Draft Environmental Impact Report Comments, page 6, item B.3.a, City of East Palo Alto, January 24, 2012.

8. Rachel Grossman, Justin Murphy, Facebook Campus Project Summary of Planning Commission Comments on Public Benefits January 12, 2012”, City of Menlo Park, January 23, 2012.

9. Facebook Campus - Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Notice of Preparation, Comments, City of Menlo Park.

10. Facebook Campus - Environmental Impact Report (EIR): Draft EIR Comments, Individuals, City of Menlo Park.