Coastside historian June Morral has unearthed some fascinating items from old
Half Moon Bay Review editions.
Half Moon Bay Review: Saturday, January 17, 1925
San Moreno Bore Planned
Construction of a million-dollar rapid transit and vehicular tunnel through
the Santa Moreno mountains, to open up Half Moon Bay territory was proposed
and endorsed Tuesday at a meeting of the San Mateo-Burlingame Exchange
Club.
Representatives of peninsula cities and chambers of commerce were present,
and Supervisor Eugene E. Schmitz, also in attendance, promised co-operation
of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in the undertaking. A committee,
composed of Tax Collector Daniel MacSweeney, Dr. W.A. Brooke [a Half Moon
Bay physician] and Mrs. J.L. McGinn, was appointed to form definite plans
report at a future meeting.
The Santa Moreno mountains, three miles west of here on the Crystal Springs
road, form a barrier to traffic between peninsula and coast towns. The
projected tunnel would be 4,000 feet in length, with double-track tramway
and a two-way highway. It is proposed to build it by bond issue.
Half Moon Bay Review, Saturday, February 13, 1926
Annual Election of Officers Postponed By Coastside Civic Union
....The tunnel committee, incharge of the proposition of advocating a
tunnel under the Santa Moreno mountains to connect San Mateo and Half Moon
Bay, reported that the matter is at a standstill until some action is taken
by those who live on the bay side of San Mateo County.
The committee appointed to have charge of the campaign for the construction
of a highway down the coastside over the right of way of the now defunct
Ocean Shore railroad declared that deeds to that portion of the right of
way which runs over the McNee estate, are now in the hands of County
Surveyor George A. Kneese. It was said that after these deeds have been
properly attended to the matter of negotiation for the Ocean Shore's
property will start...
Half Moon Bay Review, 1927
Counties' Engineers Making Survey of Coastside Highway
George A. Kneese, San Mateo county surveyor, with engineers from the city
and county of San Francisco and Santa Cruz county made a preliminary survey
of the Ocean Shore right-of-way around Pedro Mountain last week, and will
have their report in the hands of the joint highway district now very
shortly and from reports we find that the three counties are all back of
the movement to build a highway from San Francisco to Santa Cruz and that
the directors will recommend the building of that section around Pedro
Mountain first, which is the most vital section of the proposed road. It
will eliminate the steep road over Montara Mountain and give us a roadway
all the way into San Francisco and will be almost level, with no dangerous
curves. We also hear that the roadway will be 40 feet in width, and built
of concrete.
It is hoped by the boosters residing on the Coastside, that work will be
started on this much needed improvement by next summer.
Half Moon Bay Review, Thursday, June 30, 1927
The Coastside Is Wrathy
The refusal of the San Francisco supervisors to participate in the
formation of a joint highway district with San Mateo and Santa Cruz
counties for the purpose of building a highway along the line of the old
Ocean Shore Railroad from San Francisco to Santa Cruz--has aroused the ire
of the civic leaders of the Coastside. San Francisco asks us to halt the
construction of bridges, to zone areas around Mills Aiport and many other
favors of great proportion--yet fails in the "crucial" such as giving
cooperation for this badly needed road--the coastside boosters point out.
If San Francisco leaders had put half the energy and money into obtaining
fast electric transportation and additional highways through the hills into
San Mateo county that they are now contemplating expending on their Oakland
bridge--the city would long ago have reaped a greater benefit than the span
will ever bring.
(note this above item is credited to the "San Mateo Daily Times").
-- June Morrall