Caltrans Devil's Slide Project web page
Want to see what Caltrans has on their plate? Here are some projects they have planned for the Montara and coastside areas.
Caltrans (FEIS) 8 pages of new material on a tunnel alternative.
Caltrans has a history of withholding information that would detail their plans. Even the California State Assembly has trouble getting Caltrans information for review.
Caltrans says they haven't studied a tunnel bypass option enough to be able to offer a recommendation. This 1993 Caltrans memo makes for interesting reading.
Want to see Caltrans' plans for the freeway bypass? Thanks to the California Public Records Act, the Pacifica Library now has the complete 1986 Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS and E) available for your inspection. Caltrans is preparing a revision to this document, but they refuse to release their current work. While their refusal raises legal questions, the 1986 PS and E provides a wealth of data, and shows, in great detail, what they have in mind for the mountain. We'll see about getting some of the PS and E online, but the three solid inches of paper are best viewed in their entirety at the library.
Caltrans has agreed to study a tunnel, yet they have said "a tunnel is too expensive" before even beginning their study. Tunnel proponents surmise that Caltrans is inflating the cost of their tunnel estimate. To support this notion, they point out the Caltrans Devil's Slide tunnel is 66 feet wide, yet the top deck of the Bay Bridge is five 12 foot lanes plus two 2 foot shoulders = 64 feet, and they ask:
The Federal Highway Administration has asked Caltrans to check out a tunnel. These three newspapers have articles on it: Half Moon Bay Review, The Mercury News, and The Chronicle.
Environmental consultant Gary Deghi describes the permitting process for the bypass.
Here's a picture of a resident of the mountain. While Caltrans has known about it for over a year, they didn't bother to mention it until a couple of local residents went and took some pictures. That might not be a big deal, except that this resident is scheduled for addition to the endangered species list, and is the principal food of the San Francisco garter snake, already on the endangered list.
Caltrans's response to a California Public Records Act request for information. It's a bit light on details. We've crosslinked all of the references for your ease of reading.
Here's a response and information request based on the Caltrans/FHWA FEIS. It details many concerns about the document.
Here's another citizen response to the Caltrans/FHWA FEIS. It details many concerns about the document.
Caltrans has completed their environmental impact statement/report (FEIS). Caltrans included new material (8 pages) on a tunnel alternative. Read all 8 pages on tunnels right here.
In response to a specific request under the California Public Records Act, Caltrans sent 30 pages of materials to Pacifican Mitch Reid. This constitutes their response to his request for all documents relating to tunnel alternatives. Click here to see all of the materials from Caltrans.
Does the freeway bypass have unstoppable momentum? Skid Hall, permitting consultant, describes some of the permitting steps on the path to any permanent solution.
We've got the now-famous Caltrans Engineer's Report right here. Don't worry, it's in plain English and is quite readable.
"A tunnel will never be built in my lifetime." -- Caltrans spokesman at the MCCC meeting March 21st, 1995.
