EBBC’s partners in the Caldecott Fourth Bore Coalition (FBC) have sued Caltrans to consider reasonable transit-bike alternatives to single-minded freeway expansion, and to mitigate for the traffic, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, and unsustainable growth that added freeway lanes threaten to bring to the East Bay.
Attorneys for the 6 plaintiffs, including EBBC, began providing arguments on October 31, 2008 in Alameda County Superior Court before Judge Frank Roesch. The lengthy testimony continued on November 5, 2008.
A ruling on the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore Coalition (FBC) VS California Department of Transportation is pending. Judge Roesch has 60 days to rule.
In the opening brief Antonio Rossman stated, “We are trying to reshape this project to work for the citizens.” The FBC contests the project for failing to meet California Environmental Quality Act requirements that alternatives be considered and the project impacts adequately examined. Any reasonable individual would seek judicial review if a similar costly mega-project was being rammed through their community.
Only two alternatives were considered for this flawed project: a two-lane freeway and a three-lane freeway. Realistic transit and bicycle enhancements were left out.
Significant traffic impacts from adding travel lanes will occur at five exit ramps in Alameda County. The added traffic will further degrade the unsafe conditions for bicyclists along Telegraph Ave, at Broadway and Keith Ave, and even next to Rockridge BART at College and Miles Avenue. The Tunnel-Skyline Regional Bikeway is at risk from added traffic and disruption during construction. In response to our lawsuit, Caltrans claims there would be no significant impacts or that it was at their discretion to ignore the points that we have raised. As proposed, the project is a horrendous waste of precious funds. Even Caltrans admits that an additional tunnel will do nothing to reduce delays in the peak-hour commute direction.
Will the proposed project reduce congestion on BART trains? No! Bicyclists will continue to be restricted from boarding trains in the peak-hour direction and have no other bike-transit options.
You can read the background materials and follow all the decisions by visiting Alameda Courts DomainWeb and entering the Case Number.
Case Number: RG07355832
Case Title: Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore Coalition VS California Department of Transportation
You can donate to EBBC to help defray the cost of the lawsuit. Please write “FBC” in the memo line of your check. Contributions to EBBC or FBC are fully tax deductable.