Illinois Street Bridge construction at Islais Creek:hearing

This is not just a truck & rail bridge. It's also going to be for bikes and pedestrians. It will be close a gap in the Bay Trail, where there is currently no safe route for bikes. It will also add a safe bike route to connect the many homes and jobs of Bayview, Candlestick Point, and Hunters Point with downtown, Mission Bay, and the northern city. This has nothing to do with the sewage spill, and harping on that spill does nothing to make this bridge project better. Yes, it would be better without the trucks (just trains and bikes and peds). But trying to block the whole thing makes no sense to me.

-SEB

Steven Bodzin-
The Port Authority, Catellus, and regulatory agencies associated with the proposed Illinois Street Bridge, have repeatedly stated that there will be no bicycle traffic allowed on the bridge, because of reasons of safety, engineering, and other factors.(please do your homework) Our community actually embraces the concept of pedestrian and bicycle traffic along Illinois, and wish infact, that the entire length of Illinois would be exclusivley dedicated as such.

Infact you are right, this has nothing to do with the sewer pipe collapse, yet the pipe collapse is symbolic of 50 years of many, many, many ancient and ongoing issues for the our area, the Central and Southern WaterFront Areas. We are not trying to block the "whole thing" as you stated in the above entry, we are actually desparately. passionately, and angrily demanding a true public process for all of the hundreds of billions of dollars of development marching south, down Third Street that currently seem to have no true comprehesive, and real public process, and many, many closed door sessions with the prospective developers.

We are already overburdened with all of the heavy industry and all of the environmental hazards and environmental diseases of San Francisco, which includes the highest breast cancer rates in the USA, high middle and old age cancers, high childhood leukimia and asthma rates, etc..and therefore, deserve a voice in the public process.

A new bridge, will infact, as shown by numerous studies by Cal Trans, not reduce traffic, or emissions, but, on the contrary, generate an increase as such.

The other important issues for this community are that the bridge will actually enhanceand increase industry, gentrification and development in this area, which include projects such as Parcel A Townhouses ( eviction of the largest Art community in the west, ( Building 101, or "What's the Point")
Mission Bay, Third Street Light Rail, Sewage Digestor Plants at Islais Creek, New Sewer Treatment Plant, SF Redevelopment Agency's Hunters Point Bayview Revitalization Plan, Mirant Potrero Power Plant Expansion, the Industry and the PAC's expansion in the Backlands, Central WaterFront Expansion Plan, possibly a new Olympics Infrastructure, and more...
I would implore you to do more homework, and most certainly to attend the many community meetings in our area to understand the issues at hand.
We have seen no attendance or emails from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to date. Furthermore, intuitively, we feel your constiuency is certainly not residing in a majority in this area.

Fiinally, I would implore you and your organization ( although you seem to be the only SFBC entry at sfindymedia) to respond to this letter, via my e mail, or sfindimedia comments.

Exactly what major long term benefits do you see for this community, as a result of a new bridge?

Most resolutely,
David and local community

We met yesterday at Pier One and among those present were Espanola Jackson (political activist and long time resident of BayView), Rosemary Cambra (Chairperson of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe), and local BayView leader Charlie Walker. This so called Public Meeting was held in good faith without the Port Commissioners in attendance. Right from the inception of this meeting Espanola Jackson stated that this meeting would NOT accomplish anything much without the Commissioners being present. This was NOT much of a meeting. A lot of heated words and no concrete direction whatsover. Flimsy reasons were given by the San Francisco Port Authority officials to built this new bridge. Many did not want the bridge. Others want the S.F. Port Authority to work with MUNI. the S.F. P.U.C., other cities entities to address major projects affecting 3rd Street and the South East Sector of the City and County of San Francisco. The S.F. Port Authority pomised those present at the meeting that the next meeting would be held with the S.F. Port Commissioners present. We hope this will be the case. The Public - meaning the general Public has been kept out of the many processes so far. Targeted group meetings do not constitute Public Meetings. Yet, the S.F. Port Authority has been bold to state in their announcements that " numerous public meetings" have been held. This is not the TRUTH. At this time it would be RIGHT if the S.F. Port Authority provide the Public - factual and current information about the proposed bridge. That the proper environmental studies be made. The South East Sector already has a higer number of cancer cases and other serious health ailments affecting the Community. The Sewage Plant and the proposed Digesters, the MUNI light rail, the added heavy Truck traffic, the step child treatment meted out to the South East Sector has made the community very angry. It is high time the community are treated as adult citizens - and given the same treatment as those in the Marina, Pacific Heights, and other parts of the City and County of San Francisco - where residents get preferred treatment at the cost of those who live in the BayView/Hunters' Point Area. It is high time that mitigation factors be laid on the table where jobs opportunity with decent pay salaries are given to those who reside in the South East Sector. There are those who talk the talk -but we strongly feel it is time to walk the walk. The BayView/Hunters' Point community has tolerated too much nonsense from too many entitities for too long a time.

Steven Bodzin would do well to attend at least one meeting which he has not - regarding the proposed bridge and other issues. In your dreams can you imagine closing the Bike Trial with the new proposed movable bridge! Bikes and pedestrians on that bridge, with so called heavy trucks and the other dangerous traffic - you must be out of your mind. The treated sewage spill and the collapsed pipe has everything to do with the proposed bridge. We learned first hand how San Francisco P.U.C., MUNI, the S.F. Port Authority, D.P.W., the people from the Sewage Treatment Plant, the Contractor responsible for the damage, the Mayor's Office, the Supervisor from District 10 - how they all inter acted. It was a circus. David Erickson, I, and a few others too charge of the situation and put things on track. You suckers from the Bridge Trail keep harping from a distance and did NOTHING to help us. And you Steven Bodzin seem to know too much about nothing. It would seem prudent for you and your organization ( if you represent one) to have the public on your side. What you are doing is siding with entities who do not have the public on their side. Till now I have tolerated your nonsense - but I think the time has time to tell you - enough is enough!

THE BRIDGE IS CORPORATE WELFAER.
THE BIKE COALITION/Steven Bodzin ARE LACKIES OF THE PORT WHO GET THEIR LITTLE BIKE LANE AND THEN DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, GO BACK TO THE MISHION AND DRINK CAPPACINOS. THE MEETINGS ARE A FARCE, THEY LIE, THEY CHANGE THEIR STORY EVERY MEETING. THEY DRINK THEIR CAPPACINOS IN PACIFIC HEIGHTS AND THE CASTRO. THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT LOCALS. THEY WON'T EVEN HAVE THE REAL PORT COMMISSIONERS GO TO THE MEETINGS, THEY JUST SEND THEIR LACKEYS. IT IS ALL A CORPORATE SCAM WITH CATELLUS ON TOP PULLING THE STRINGS OF THE PORT PUPPETS.
THEY BREAK SEWER MAINS JUST DOING PRELIMARY WORK LET ALONE A BRIDGE. THEY COULDN'T DIG AN OUTHOUSE HOLE WITH OUT BUNGLING IT. THEY SUBCONTRACT OUT TO COMPANIES FROM ALABAMA WHO DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF SEWAGE SPILLS INTO THE CREEK AND BAY FOR WEEKS AT A TIME AS IT IS STILL DOING SINCE THE BREAK OVER THANKSGIVING. GO SEE THE OPEN SEWER PIT HOLE WHICH USED TO BE A BEAUTIFUL PARK OF RECLAIMED INDUSTRIAL LAND. THE PORT TREAT THE EARTH AS A SANDBOX TO BUILD THEIR CRAP ON TO KEEP THEM IN JOBS THAT DO NO GOOD IN THE END, THEY JUST TAKE FROM SOCIETY AS DOEWS THE BIKE COALITION/Steven Bodzin PUNK. EVERYONE IS IN EVERYONE ELSE'S BACK POCKET GETTING THEIR LITTLE HAND OUTS EXCEPT THE LOCALS. SOMEHOW THE COMMUNITY IS LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS. WELL GUESS WHAT, YOU ALL ARE IN FOR A BIG SUPRISE.

We all attended the last so called Public Meeting sans the S.F. Port Authority Commissioners. The San Francisco Port Authority officials had come to the meeting to sell their " proposed bridge". The answer they got was very simple - " go take a hike". No bridge on Islais Creek - not now , not in the future - ever.

On another note the S.F. Port Authority is NOT sensitive to the Artists and the Arts in San Francisco. I for one will tell you - this is going to be a WAR. NO BRIDGE ON ISLAIS CREEK. T he S.F. Port Authority is catering to GREED and to the REDEVELOPERS. GREED, GREED, and MORE GREED.

I want to thank the hundreds of concerned citizens, artists who have show their support by signing the petition:

http://www.islaiscreek.com

Remember, UNITED we can dialog, united we can build the ARTS community - UNITED we can keep the bridge UNBUILT.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE BRIDGE PLANS? I heard indirectly that Diane Oshima said its funding was no longer a sure thing. I am reporting on the opposition and support for the proposed multi-modal bridge over Islais Creek at Illinois Street for an urban studies class. I wonder what people really think this neighborhood will look like in ten years. It will have light rail with a big muni switching yard two blocks from the bridge, it is planned to remain industrially zoned, so most likely port uses will remain. As planned, Third Street will lose car lanes and car use will grow (more, slower car traffic on Third.) Will housing be built in this industrial area? Look at all the new shoe box lofts on the other side of Third. Will we see more of that? What do people envision for the shores what is left of Islais Creek? I mean realistically, barring the apocalyse, economic or environmental disaster that will eventually derail even Catellus. You may detect a readiness to hear some articulate opposition to this project other than the "flowers are nice" type I read in the Islais Creek site's guest book. E-mail me or post here, thanx
John Seagrave <seagrave [at] sfsu.edu>

Dig deeper and find the truth behind the problems at Islais Creek.
1. The pipe in question is an effluent water pipe returning water back to the bay only a few hundred yards down.
2. When exposing the leak on the pipe the City and the Contractors discuvered algae growing. A curator of algae from Berkley University said the algae was many months old, long before the contractors arrived to work.
3.The decayed rebar has been studied and muti year decay was present.
4. The City just installed a new pump station and was testing it at the time of the break.
5. The weld that cracked was not supposed to be there. The construction of the 60" effluent line did not follow manufacture recomendations or design plans.

Bottom line? The City clams up and tries to blame contractors for their faulty line. Contactors could have been long gone but the City won't even follow their own contracts. The City will waist tax payrer money in court, rather then fixing a problem created by them.