MidCoast Community Council Joins Others to Endorse Tunnel Initiative
By unaminous vote on December 27, 1995, the MidCoast Community Council (MCCC) became the first publicly elected body to endorse the SOC/CATS Devil's Slide Tunel Initiative. The MCCC is an elected advisory council to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors representing the unincorporated MidCoast.
"By supporting the initiative, I support letting the public vote on how its tax dollars will be spent", said David Spiselman of the MCCC, "I can't imagine anything fairer."
As of press time, the following organizations have endorsed the Tunnel Initiative:
Audubon Society, Golden Gate Chapter
Bay Area Action
California Native Plant Society, San Francisco Chapter
California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Chapter
CALTROUT
Citizens for the Tunnel
Coastal Alliance
Committee for Green Foothills
Committee for the Permanent Repair of Highway 1
Concerned Citizens of the Coastside
Citizens for Reliable And Safe Highways
Earth Island Institute
Friends of California State Parks
Greenbelt Alliance
GreenPeace
MidCoast Community Council
Pacifica's Tunnel Alternative for Highway 1 (PTA-1)
San Bruno Mountain Watch
Save Our Shores
Sierra Club
Surfrider Foundation
Pacifica City Council Urges Timely Tunnel Study Release
On Monday, March 12, The Pacifica City Council voted 4-0 with 1 abstention to send a letter to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors recommending that the Tunnel Study results be made available before the 1996 November election. The council also voted to support the Tunnel Initiative process as long as the study information was made available, and to proceed with selecting an appointee for the Tunnel Study oversight committee.
"It's important that Caltrans and FHWA not delay in getting this study done." said a SOC/CATS spokesperson. "This information will help the citizens of San Mateo County make a decision about the Tunnel Initiative." Engineering sources queried said there was no reason the study needed to take longer than 4 to 5 months. "Perhaps a bit longer to put together the whole package in final presentation form" said one highway consultant, "but the feasibility, expense, size and alignment of the tunnel should be apparent fairly quickly."
