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[Public Works] - The Southern Crossing - A Brief Report, February 1971
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118565086
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[Public Works] - The Southern Crossing - A Brief Report, February 1971
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Ronald Reagan's Governor's Papers of the Press Unit
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Reagan, Ronald: Gubernatorial Papers,
1966-74: Press Unit
Folder Title: [Public Works] - The Southern Crossing -
A Brief Report, February 1971
Box: P38
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
THE
FEBRUARY 1971
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
A BRIEF REPORT
SAN
RAFAEL
RICHMOND
680
80
101
WALNUT CREEK
24
OAKLAND
680
SAN
ALAMEDA
FRANCISCO
280
1
17
580
280
SOUTHERN
CROSSING
580
112
HAYWARD
N
Legislative
4
Route
101
61
1
17
280
238
SAN
MATEO
THE SOUTHERN CROSSING IS A
1. Toll bridge project across San Francisco Bay which is
currently underway.
2. Vital addition to the Bay Area regional highway system.
THE ISSUE:
SHOULD THE SOUTHERN CROSSING BE DELAYED TO
1. Reevaluate the need after the initiation of BART
transbay service.
2. Determine its effect on the patronage of the BART
system.
3. Study its effect on the Bay Area environment.
-
THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN A GENERAL DISCUSSION WHICH INCLUDES
A. Need.
B.
History of development and current status.
C.
Project cost, financing and schedule.
D. Effect on the environment.
E.
Cost of delay.
F. Conclusions.
A.
NEED
THE SOUTHERN CROSSING IS NEEDED BECAUSE
1. Present traffic congestion on the Bay Bridge is
intolerable.
2. Increase in traffic demand is inevitable due to
Bay Area growth.
3. The addition of BART alone will not satisfy future
transbay demand.
4. Redistribution of Bay Bridge traffic is essential
to the regional highway system.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON BAY BRIDGE
DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUMES ARE
1. Current daily traffic - 165,000 + vehicles.
2. Comfortable capacity -- 125,000 vehicles.
3. High volume days exceed 200,000 vehicles.
DURING PEAK TRAFFIC PERIODS
1. Extreme morning and evening congestion extends
for 2-3 hours.
2. Any mishap results in complete stoppage and long
delays.
3. Freeway approaches and city streets are blocked.
4. Congestion costs bridge users 1.4 million hours per year.
THIS OCCURS EVEN THOUGH BUSES NOW CARRY 53% OF COMMUTERS.
THE BRIDGE HAS
1. Substandard lanes
- width less than 12 ft., No shoulders.
2. Increasing accident rate.
3. Inadequate capacity to permit lane closures for maintenance.
4
INEVITABLE BAY AREA GROWTH IS INDICATED BY PROJECTIONS OF
1. Population
2. Employment
THE RESULT IS INCREASED TRAVEL DEMAND.
BAR CHART BELOW SHOWING
PROJECTED GROWTH FROM 1970 TO 1990
IN POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT FOR EACH COUNTY INDICATES
- Employment will substantially increase in all Bay Area counties
with large population increases in all counties except San Francisco
- Result will be increased "home to work" demand for transbay travel
NEW CROSSING IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE FOR THESE INCREASES
POPULATION - EMPLOYMENT POPULATION-EMPLOYMENT
1990 -
1970 1970
POPULATION - EMPLOYMENT
# Census figure
1
CONTRA COSTA
ALAMEDA
SAN MATEO
SAN
FRANCISCO
CAN THE BAY BRIDGE AND BART SATISFY FUTURE TRANSBAY TRAVEL DEMAND?
EFFECT OF BART ON BAY BRIDGE CAN BE DETERMINED FROM TRAFFIC ESTIMATES
SAME EXPERTS WHO DEVELOPED BART FEASIBILITY PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION
BART WILL
1.
Divert only 10% of Bay Bridge autos
- 3 to 5 years normal growth on bridge
- ALL experts agree on these estimates
2.
Carry 58% to 62% of the peak hour commuters
- Existing bus system now carries 53%
3.
Not service commercial traffic
THEREFORE THE BAY BRIDGE WILL REMAIN CONGESTED EVEN WITH BART IN SERVICE
6
NUMEROUS TRAFFIC ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE EFFECTS OF BART
- Close agreement between studies on percentage diversion
- BART will divert 10% or 3 to 5 years growth on
Bay Bridge
- No other known traffic studies to the contrary
THE SOUTHERN CROSSING WILL
1.
Divert 36% of Bay Bridge traffic demand
Future volumes will be
1980
1990
Bay Bridge
129,000 vehicles/day
154,000 vehicles/day
Southern Crossing
90,000
"
"
140,000
"
"
2.
Not compete for BART patronage
- diverts only 4% from BART transbay service.
- serves areas not convenient to BART.
- has insignificant effect on BART system revenues.
THE BAY BRIDGE, BART AND THE SOUTHERN CROSSING ARE ALL NEEDED TO MEET FUTURE TRANSBAY
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
7
AN ADDITIONAL CORRIDOR FOR TRANSBAY TRAFFIC IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE
1. Bay Bridge congestion causes tie-ups and delays on
connecting highways and city streets.
2. Current out-of-direction travel is expensive to
private and commercial bridge users.
3. There is no reasonable alternative route in case
of a major accident to the Bay Bridge.
8
B. HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT STATUS
THE PROJECT'S DEVELOPMENT HAS INCLUDED
1. Numerous transbay studies over the past 25 years.
2. A $450,000 Report in 1966 recommending the India
Basin-Alameda alignment.
3. Adoption of this alignment by the Toll Bridge
Authority in 1966.
4. Legislature's appropriation of $10,000,000 for
planning, design and right of way.
5. The Legislature's direction of concurrent construction
of Southern Crossing and BART.
SOUTHERN CROSSING AND RELATED STUDIES SINCE 1946
1. An Additional Crossing of San Francisco Bay
11. Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
Joint Army-Navy Board, January 1947
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, October 1956
2. Preliminary Studies for an Additional Bridge Across
12. Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, December 1957
Division of Highways, January 1947
13. Report on Financial Feasibility of the Proposed
3. Additional Toll Crossings of San Francisco Bay
Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, November 1948
Smith, Barney & Co. March 1958
4. Report on San Francisco Bay Vehicular Crossings
14. Transbay Tube
Consultants to Assembly Fact Finding Committee, June 1949
Consultants for San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit
District, July 1958
5. Report on Additional Toll Crossings of San Francisco Bay as
Proposed by Consultants to Assembly Interim Committee
15. Bay Area Rapid Transit Composite Report
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, October 1949
Parsons Brinckerhoff-Tudor-Bechtel, May 1962
6. Barriers in the San Francisco Bay System
16. Transbay Traffic Study
Division of Water Resources, March 1955
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, November 1962
7. Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
17. Southern Crossing Report
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, December 1954
Division of Bay Toll Crossings, February 1966
8. Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
18. Preliminary Regional Plan
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, December 1955
Association of Bay Area Governments, November 1966
9. Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay, Supplementary Report
19. Northern California Transit Demonstration Project Report
Division of San Francisco Bay Toll Crossings, March 1956
Simpson & Curtin, October 1967
10. Report on Financial Feasibility of the Proposed
20. Bay Area Transportation Report
Southern Crossing of San Francisco Bay
Bay Area Transportation Study Commission, May 1969
Smith, Barney & Co. , September 1956
ROADWAY PROFILE
ONE
EXC
****
-1%1
1200'
VALLEJO
MMNM
MAIN CHANNEL NAVIGATIONAL CLEARANCE
NO SCALE
SAN RAFAEL
GROVE-SHAFTER
RICHMOND
FREEWAY
BRIDGE
INI)
BAY
LAKE MERRITT
OAKLAND
$
2
SAN
SHORELINE
SOUTHERN CROSSING
FRANCISCO
FREEWAY EXTENSION
OAKLAND
PACIFIC
ND
INNE
R
OCEAN
HAYWARD
ALAMEDA NAVAL
SAN MATED
FRANCISCO
AIR STATION
HARBOR
ATLANTIC AVE,
NIVA
WEBSTER
VICINITY MAP
OMILER
SAN JCSE
1S
PACIFIC
AVE.
ALAMEDA
SAN
FRANCISCO
LEMENAL
in
NOISW31X3
SAN LEANDRO DAY
NIMITZ FREEWAY
TOLL PLAZA
HUNTERS
MAIN
BAY
FARM ISLAND
PLAN
CHANNEL
MICARTNEY
HUNTERS HUNT TERS
BIRTH NEE
SOUTHERN CROSSING
POINT
2000
4000
6000 PEET
STATE or CALIFORNIA
CARLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
DAVIS
DIVISION OF DAY TOLL CROSSINGS
- Inventions
THE PROJECT IS NOW
1. In the 5th year of major design with contract plans well
underway.
- Nearly $7,000,000 has been spent to date
- Right of Way understandings have been reached with
the involved agencies and interests.
- Permits have been obtained from BCDC and the Corps
of Engineers. A Coast Guard permit is pending for
the main channel crossing.
2. Included in the plans of all regional and local agencies
- BCDC Bay Plan
- BATS Committed Regional Highway System
- ABAG Preliminary Regional Plan
- Master Plans of local agencies
DESIGN OF MAIN CHANNEL CROSSING
CABLE STAYED GIRDER - DIAMOND TOWER
C. PROJECT COST, FINANCING AND SCHEDULE
FINANCING FACTS:
1. The Southern Crossing, a vital element of the Regional
Highway System, will be financed from toll revenue
supplemented by gas tax funds for planned connecting
highways.
2. Historically, revenue bonds from user tolls finance
expensive Bay crossing construction.
MAJOR ELEMENTS OF PROJECT COST
TOTALS
1. Main Channel Crossing
$186 million
Ramps to Hunters Point Freeway
Main Channel spans
Toll Plaza
2. Alameda-Oakland Section
$142 million
Alameda Trestle
Toll Revenue Funds
$328 million
Alameda Viaduct
Estuary Tube
3. Bay Farm Island-San Leandro Approach
$ 69 million
Bay Farm Island Trestle
San Leandro Approach
Route 112 (Davis St. Expressway)
Highway Funds
$ 6.9 million
Project Total
$397 million
11
1800'VE
ROADWAY PROFILE
THE
are
E.V.C
-3%1
1800'
WALLEJO
OZZ
MHAM
MAIN CHANNEL NAVIGATIONAL CLEARANCE
NO SCALE
SAN RAPAIL
RICHRIOND
FRANCISCO BAY BRIDGE
that 000 SECURITY 000
LAKE MERRITT
OAKLAND
S
N
SAM
FRANCISCO
SOUTHERN CANNER
SHORELINE
FREEWAY EXTENSION
OAKLAND
PACIFIC
SAN
all
OCEAN
names
ALAMEDA NAVAL
HARBOR
#
SAB STATED
AIR STATION
AVE.
VICINITY MAP
MAIN
pmsse
- -
is
PACIFIC
AVE.
ALAMEDA
SAN
FRANCISCO
by
NOISHBIXI ATMENT
BAY $186,000,000 CROSSING
NUMBER
SAN LEANDRO DAY
TOLL PLAZA
MAIN
PLAN
CHANNEL
SAN $69 BAY FARM At APPROACH ISLAND
HUNTERS
SEAL
000 000
-
SOUTHERN CROSSING
THE
POINT
2000
PRY
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
ONLINE INTERNATIONAL AMPORT
DEPARTMENT OF PUCLIC INCEIVE
DIVISION OF - TOLL CROSSINGS
TOLL CROSSING FACILITY
PROJECT COST
DEFINITIVE FINANCING PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED AT TIME OF TOLL
REVENUE BOND SALE. IT MUST INCLUDE
1. Final traffic estimate by consultants
2. Required toll schedule on crossing
3. Expected interest rates
4. Current priority of gas tax funds
PREVIOUS APPLICATION OF BAY BRIDGE TOLL REVENUE FUNDS
1. Original construction - 1932-1936
$ 73 million
2. Expansion of Bridge -- 1957-1966
$ 42 million
3. Reconstruction of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge -- 1965-1970
$ 70 million
4. BART Transbay Tube -- 1965-1970
$180 million
ALL FUNDS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSBAY TRAFFIC DEMAND
NOW, THE SOUTHERN CROSSING AND DUMBARTON BRIDGE
THE PROJECT SCHEDULE IS TO
1. Complete design of major sections during the next two years.
2. Begin construction in 1972.
3. Open for transbay traffic in 1976.
4. Complete freeway approaches by 1978-1980.
12
D. EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The Crossing will have no adverse effect on the Bay Area environment. Among
the factors considered were:
1. AIR QUALITY
- Crossing will reduce traffic congestion, shorten transbay trips
and reduce air pollution.
- Crossing will not increase the number of autos in the Bay Area.
Such an increase is primarily a function of growth of the area.
"
-
South Bay Crossing would have little effect on general
air pollution in the Bay Area. " Air Resources Board
2. TIDAL FLOW, SILTATION AND WATER QUALITY
- Entire Crossing on structure to minimize effects.
- Effects on tidal flow too small to measure in Corps of Engineer's
Bay Model.
- Additional model studies are required by BCDC permit and will
insure no adverse effects in these areas.
13
3. NAVIGATION AND RECREATIONAL BOATING
- Location and size of navigation openings are adequate to meet
the needs of shipping and planned marinas in the area.
- Shallow water depth off Alameda restricts large sail boats to
established channels where openings are provided.
- Main channel crossing includes over two miles of high level
structure with adequate clearance for all recreational boating.
"
-
there were no objections to the Crossing as proposed. "
Marine Exchange
4. AESTHETICS
- Every effort has been made to create a beautiful bridge to
enhance the environment.
- Main span was developed under the direction of a noted architect,
Mr. William Stephen Allen of Anshen and Allen.
- The main span will be a cable stayed girder with diamond shaped
towers. It was selected by the California Toll Bridge Authority
at the conclusion of a study of more than 20 bridge types.
- Trestle approaches in the East Bay will rise on gentle grades
over the navigation channels. Maximum span lengths will be used
to improve the appearance.
-
the new bridge across San Francisco Bay truly will be
another gem added to the Bay Area's many attractions."
Oakland Tribune.
14
5. FISH AND WILDLIFE
- Entire Crossing will be on structure and therefore will not
cause damage to fish and wildlife.
- Does not commit the construction of future offshore freeways
requiring fills which would affect marshes.
- Reasonable public access to the Bay for fishing and recreation
will be provided at India Basin and Bay Farm Island.
- "The proposed construction of a new bridge
will not
adversely affect the fish and game
"
State Department of
Fish and Game.
15
E. DELAY IN PROJECT WOULD RESULT IN
1. Increase in construction cost of $60,000,000 for a
4 year delay.
2. Increase in right of way cost of $25,000,000 for a
4 year delay.
3. Adverse effect on many planned developments such as
- Marine Terminal for Port of San Francisco
- Bay Farm Island land development
- Oakland Airport expansion
- Estuary Development by Port of Oakland
- Drydock expansion by Todd Shipyards
- Navy development in Alameda
4. Disruption of the many City and Regional Master Plans
5. The major loss of time and money already spent on
this project in route location and design work.
6. Continued cost of delay to Bay Bridge users of
$6 million per year.
16
F. CONCLUSIONS
THE SOUTHERN CROSSING
- Is a key element of the Bay Area regional highway system
and is needed now.
- Culminates 25 years of promises to the traveling public.
- Has been studied sufficiently to show that the effect on
BART patronage is minimal.
- Will have no significant effects on the Bay Area
environment.
- Can be financed now through a combination of toll revenue
bonds and gas tax funds.
- Would cost an additional $85,000,000 if delayed for 4
years, substantially increasing financing problems.
- Is an integral part of the planning of most regional and
local agencies.