Voting unanimously, the Mid-Coast Community Council endorsed Measure T at its Oct. 9 meeting. At the same time, the council urged the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to officially support the measure.
In its endorsement, the council focused on economic and environmental issues surrounding a tunnel and how it compares to the Martini Creek Bypass. If Measure T passes Nov. 5, the county's Local Coastal Program will be changed to make a tunnel, rather than a bypass, the preferred replacement for the sinking Devil's Slide section of Highway 1.
Citing a tunnel study released by the California Department of Transportation on Oct. 7, Councilman David Spiselman said, "The cost of a tunnel is equal, or slightly less (than the bypass).
Many councilmembers expressed the opinion that if Measure T fails, CalTrans would move quickly to build the 4.5-mile proposed bypass over Montara Mountain.
"The bypass is wrong . . . it is an engineering monstrosity," MCCC chair Chris McComb said. "It should never be built, so Measure T must pass."
The council's 7-0 vote came after a long public discussion on the possibility of permanently repairing Devil's Slide. Measure T labels a tunnel as the preferred option, but allows for repair of the current road.
Councilman Paul Perkovic said that while he prefers that the road be permanently repaired, he will still vote yes on Measure T.
"I would far prefer to see the road repaired, but that is not the question before us tonight," Perkovic said. "It is critically important that those of us who believe the tunnel is better than the bypass vote for Measure T."