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December 20, 2002
For More Information, Contact:
Daryl Savage at (650) 688-6384
PALO ALTO – The words ‘El Camino Real’ and ‘beautiful tree-lined boulevard’ don’t often appear in the same sentence. But now, after numerous delays and complex negotiations, all that may change. Trees will be planted up and down El Camino Real.
Assemblymember Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) received the necessary approval today from Caltrans to take the first step to beautify the Peninsula’s main thoroughfare. Approval was announced by the California Department of Transportation for a pilot project that will place large trees in the median of the street.
The project to beautify El Camino Real will include the cities of Menlo Park, Redwood City, Palo Alto and possibly Los Altos. “We’re fortunate that these three cities have been imagining what El Camino could be, rather than accepting what it is. And we’re particularly fortunate that Caltrans has cleared the way for the cities to implement their plan,” Simitian said.
“I’m also pleased that the approval allows a substantial improvement in aesthetics without any loss of lanes or traffic capacity,” he added.
Palo Alto Mayor Vic Ojakian said he was delighted that the plan got the green light after initial resistance from Caltrans. “I’m not only impressed, but extremely grateful that Joe has made the El Camino project a reality. He’s accomplished for us exactly what we hoped he’d do,” he said.
While the exact details still need to be hammered out, preliminary plans call for Palo Alto, Redwood City and Menlo Park to draft an agreement with the State to plant the trees and maintain the landscaping.