Hold Your Horses: Highway 1 Widening EIR Stalls

BY TODD BRAY, RIPTIDE CORRESPONDENT

It appears the long-awaited environmental impact report (EIR) for the Calera Creek Parkway Project (widening Highway 1 from Fassler to Reina Del Mar) is on hold. Following up on an on-air comment from Wavelength host Ian Butler about the scoping comment period being extended indefinitely, this reporter asked San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) and Pacifica City Manager Steve Rhodes about the delay. SMCTA has not yet responded, but Rhodes confirmed the EIR is on hold until SMCTA receives further input from city leaders. This is not the first time the EIR has stalled. Several years ago after an earlier scoping hearing, the EIR was put on hold and eventually cancelled when the state rebuked the city for claiming it had the right to be lead agency. At that time, SMCTA took the reins. The March 3 scoping hearing, which was broadly criticized for not providing preliminary information, was the culmination of that work.

Comments

[Cynthia Montanez]

Ms. Jana, you need to take up your concerns with Jim Vreeland, our representative on the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA). It is his responsibility to let us know what is going on. There is no excuse for him to not report back to those of us who are affected by this.

[jim alex]

Mr. Bray:

Perhaps your memory has faded. Remember the center divider project that Caltrans put on Highway 1 last year? Did Caltrans notify City Hall? NO.

I called Caltrans, found out who to email, and they got right back to me. I forwarded the email to City Council and City Manager Steve Rhodes.

Caltrans will do what Caltrans wants to do with Highway 1 even if Pacifica likes it or not.

[Kathy Jana]

"The March 3 scoping hearing, which was broadly criticized for not providing preliminary information..." It cannot truly be called a scoping hearing, as the widening was presented, fait accompli, to the public. Not open government, and not compliant with CEQA.