It has been a huge undertaking but the Draft EIR for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration project has been released. As indicated on the map the project covers a huge area from Fremont to Mountain View. There are other segments around the Bay not indicated on this map particuarly around the Dumbarton Bridge.
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The purpose of the project is to restore wetlands previously used for salt production. As such public access (hiking biking boating) comes second to wildlife restoration. Nonetheless the project backers have done a marvelous job in balancing the competing interests.
Of particular interest to bicyclists has been the Bay Trail alignment. In the South Bay the trail often diverges far away from the Bay sometimes putting cyclists on busy city streets. This project will greatly enhance the Bay Trail extending the existing Coyote Creek trail from San Jose well into Fremont providing a great alternative to busy arterials. While that alignment still well East of the Bay a second proposed alignment could bring cyclists directly to the Bay.
The proposed path through Drawbridge (as indicated in the above map) would begin in Fremont and run directly to Alviso providing a very direct route to Silicon Valley and shoreline access! However building this path is contingent on many factors. The Draft EIR studies a number of restoration scenarios and not all of them may be compatible with a Drawbridge trail. There is also a complete lack of funding right now for building a Drawbridge trail.
Comments on the Draft EIR are due April 23. For more information visit southbayrestoration.org.
Update: Working Groups Forming
Volunteers are invited to join one or more of the newly forming local Working Groups.
Help project partners
- plan restoration work
- make decisions on kayak launches viewing platforms and other improvements
- review proposed ecological studies;
- and more.
The SBSP project partners are seeking the active involvement of community members business leaders environmental organizations and local government.
A Working Group for each Project area
A Working Group is being set up for each of the three pond complexes covered by the Project:
- Alviso/Santa Clara
- Eden Landing (Hayward area)
- Ravenswood (San Mateo County)
RSVP requested
If you are interested in participating in one or more of the Working Groups please RSVP to Anna Schneider California Coastal Conservancy 510-286-0325 or aschneider@scc.ca.gov.
For additional details on each Group including meeting dates visit 2007
Working Groups on the project website.