On Tuesday evening, August 1 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m, Citizens for a Better Burlingame will host the second in its open-discussion series, "First Tuesday", at Il Piccolo Caffe on Broadway. The series focuses on community issues such as local and intercity transportation, the redesign of the Burlingame Avenue train station, beautification of the Burlingame Avenue and Broadway shopping districts, and appropriate development of the Safeway site.

The August 1 discussion will focus on the impact that a grade separation (raising the railroad tracks considerably above existing "ground level') will have at the Burlingame Avenue CalTrain station. This spring, after much community input, CalTrain and the city negotiated a redesign of the station which will cost CalTrain roughly $12,000,000. CalTrain has assured city officials that this investment is a long-term fix and demonstrates CalTrain's commitment to keep the station in service and virtually unchanged for decades to come.

At the same time, however, CalTrain is proceeding with plans to raise the railroad bed at Broadway (in anticipation of the new freeway overpass system on Bayshore at Broadway) and in San Mateo over Poplar and Tilton avenues. This grade separation on either side of Burlingame Avenue will increase pressure to create a grade separation through Burlingame, in the form of either a berm or an viaduct. The effect of such a grade separation, especially a berm, would divide "east Burlingame" and "west Burlingame" as effectively as a fortress wall. What would this mean to Burlingame? What would this mean to you?

Come to "First Tuesday" to share your ideas and listen to those of others. These discussions are intended both to be informative and to collect information about what Burlingame residents personally consider important issues in their lives. Ultimately we hope they will engender the sense of community that has been the hallmark of the American town meeting. Future discussions and forums will be responsive to what is learned at these sessions. There is no charge.

Bring some friends, buy a cup of java or a glass of wine and join in some good open discussion.

– Written by Fiona