HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04122005 - C32 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Resolution on April 12, 2005 by the following vote: ,'llp-
AYES: Supervisors Gioia, Piepho, DeSaulnier, -'`
and Glover
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ABSTAIN: Supervisor Uilkema '
SUBJECT: Bay Bridge East Span Model Resolution No. Zoos/ With
WHEREAS, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck 15 years ago, killing 03 people,
collapsing and closing highways throughout the Bay Area and forcing the closure of the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for one month for repairs to its damaged eastern span; and
WHEREAS, the Northridge earthquake struck Southern California 11 years ago,
killing 51 people and causing major highway damage; and
WHEREAS, thousands of California highway bridges have been retrofitted or
replaced costing the State of California billions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, after years of engineering studies, the California Department of
Transportation {Caltrans} concluded in 1990 that it was more cost-effective to construct a
replacement structure rather than seismically retrofit the existing east span; and
WHEREAS, in February 1997, Governor Pete Wilson announced that the state
would construct a replacement "skyway" bridge connecting Oakland to Yerba Buena Island,
and that the Bay Area would have to contribute regional funds for an enhanced design; and
WHEREAS, in August 1997, Senate Bill 60 was signed by Governor Wilson
authorizing the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to extend for up to two
years a $1 toll surcharge in order to fund the following enhancements: (1) a cable-supported
suspension design; (2) a bicycle/pedestrian path; and (3) improvements to the Transbay
Transit Terminal in San Francisco; and
WHEREAS, in July 1998, based upon the expert advice of a blue-ribbon panel of
seismologists, geologists, bridge engineers, and architects, and after holding over two
dozen public hearings and workshops throughout the Bay Area, MTC approved an
extension of the toll surcharge for one and one-half years to include a Self-Anchored
Suspension design and bicycle/pedestrian path in the new east span project based on cost
estimates for those enhancements provided by Caltrans at the time; and
WHEREAS, in September 2001, Assembly Bill 1171 was approved, which codified
the Self-Anchored Suspension design in state law and funded cost increases for the new
east span as well as other bridge safety projects by extending the $1 toll surcharge for
another 30 years, and committed additional federal and state highway funds, continuing the
precedent established in Senate Bill 60 for an equitable cost-sharing arrangement between
statewide and local taxpayers in financing the toll bridge seismic retrofit program; and
WHEREAS, in January 2002, Governor Gray Davis presided over groundbreaking
ceremonies to mark the start of construction of the new east span of the Bay Bridge; and
WHEREAS, construction work has continued since that time, with over 05 percent of
the skyway portion of the bridge near the Oakland shore now completed. With the west pier
of the Self-Anchored Suspension now complete on Yerba Buena Island. The contract to
construct the tower and east pier for the Self-Anchored Suspension span is 20 percent
complete; and a total of$200 million in design and construction work on the Self-Anchored
Suspension span is already expended; and
WHEREAS, in August 2004, Caltrans reported additional cost overruns for the toil
bridge seismic retrofit program, with the Self-Anchored Suspension portion of the new east
span,replacement project estimated to be responsible for approximately half of the cost
increase; and
WHEREAS, in September 2004, Caltrans rejected the sole bid received to construct
the superstructure of the Self-Anchored Suspension design and_'announced it,was.
undertaking a review of the east span project to determine whether to redesign the bridge;
and
WHEREAS, in December 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed to
scrap the Self-Anchored Suspension design and replace it with a skyway alternative
originally proposed by Governor Wilson seven years before; and
WHEREAS, independent reports from the Federal Highway Administration, Bechtel
Infrastructure Corporation, and Caltrans Seismic Safety Peer Review Panel generally
support retaining the current Self-Anchored Suspension design, with the seismic safety
panel concluding: "Any change in bridge type or geometry could result in multi-year delays
which are unacceptable from a seismic safety point of view. Furthermore, with recent and
continuing increases in material and construction costs it is not clear that project delays will
result in overall cost savings"; and
WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Area has experienced nine major earthquakes in
excess of 6.5 or greater over the past 170 years, averaging a major earthquake every 19
years; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated a 62 percent probability of a
magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake within the next 30 years on the San Andreas and
Hayward faults, both of which are adjacent to the east span; and
WHEREAS, such an earthquake could cause the collapse of major sections of the
existing east span cantilever truss structure, which is used by 180,000 persons every day;
and
WHEREAS, such a collapse could kill or injure thousands of people and cause
severe economic dislocation for businesses and workers in San Francisco, Oakland, Contra
Costa County, and throughout the Bay Area and State of California; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County endorses the
principle that the fastest path to seismic safety for this critical component of the region's
transportation infrastructure is to retain the Self-Anchored Suspension design that is 100
percent complete, fully permitted, and ready to construct; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County urges
the California Legislature to retain the Self-Anchored Suspension design in state law and
urges the Governor of California and Caltrans to advertise that design for construction bids
as soon as possible; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County urges
the California Legislature and Governor of California to promptly commence negotiations to
achieve a fair and equitable cost-sharing agreement for the latest cost overruns for the toll
bridge seismic retrofit program; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Governor
of California, the California Senate and Assembly, the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, and other appropriate agencies and officials.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an
action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of
Supervisors on the date shown
ATTESTED: April 12,2005
John Sweeten, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
And County Adminis ator
By Deputy
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