Pedestrian-bike tunnel under tracks will cost $62 million

""The price tag is shocking. I think this will become a vital part of the area," Councilman Jeff Schmidt said."

""If you've got the money, some money now or some way to access some part of the project now, then that's what you take," Combs said. "That's the only thing that guarantees that you'll ever have people in the tunnel or you'll ever be driving that Ferrari.""

"The city has "funding hopes and dreams," but nothing is concrete, Schmidt said."

The Menlo Park City Council approved moving forward with a $62 million tunnel to connect Alma Street and El Camino Real and agreed to spend $7.4 million to finalize the design. The tunnel will run under the railroad tracks and shorten pedestrian and cyclist travel by more than half a mile. Estimated construction shortfall ranges from $34 million to $43 million, while $22 million is already set aside. Council considered making the design shovel-ready while seeking funding, building in stages, or stopping the project. Plans include weekend rail shutdowns, bus replacements, and short night closures to accommodate construction.

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