San Pedro Bridge Replacement Project to be completed by October, 2015

California Department of Transportation, District 4, Press Release/Gidget Navarro, 8/26/15:  San Pedro Creek Bridge Construction Update (State Route 1) Pacifica.

Week prior to bridge detour, 6/14/14

"The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will begin final paving operations on U.S. State Route 1 (northbound/southbound) between Post Mile 40.6 (Ace Hardware) to Linda Mar Boulevard in Pacifica, starting Tuesday, September 8, and completed by Thursday, September 10, from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

At the intersection of Linda Mar Boulevard and Route 1, asphalt grinding and paving will take place. This will affect signal timing for the entire week.  Electrical work that controls the Route 1 and Linda Mar intersections will be worked on during the week of September 14, original signal timing will be restored by mid-week of Steptember 14.

North and southbound temporary striping will be removed and replaced with permanent striping the following week, Monday September 14 and completed by Thursday, September 17, between the hours of 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

Bridge open, almost done, 8/9/15 

Final paving will restore lanes both north and south of the bridge back to the original configurations. The area between the bridge and Linda Mar Boulevard will have two lanes starting closer to the bridge.  Final construction for this project will be completed by October, 2015.

This work is part of the San Pedro Creek Bridge Replacement Project that started construction in May 2014. The project will install a longer and higher bridge over the creek to provide capacity for the 100-year flood event. In addition, a Class 1 mult-purpose path will be added along ths eastern side."


Related,  San Mateo County Times/Aaron KJinney, 8/12/14, "Pacifica:  San Pedro Creek Bridge replacement at a glance."  .... Estimated cost: $10 million. Who's footing the bill: Federal, state and county transportation funds. ... The bridge is slated to reopen in October 2015. The rest of the project, including vegetation and habitat restoration, is expected to finish in 2016.  TRA Environmental Sciences, Inc., biological consultant to Caltrans summary: 2009-present. Lead Agency, City of Pacifica, Caltrans; Client Wilsey Ham.

Note photographs: Week prior to detour by Pacifica Index/Chris Fogel, "San Pedro Creek Bridge, Pacifica, CA, 6/14/14, YouTube, 21 seconds.  Bridge open by Pacifica.city/Dan Stegink, Pacifica Riptide, 8/9/15, "Caltrans' new Highway 1 bridge open."

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Bayside levee talks, Foster City

The Daily Journal/Samantha Weigel, 8/29/15. "Sea level rise spurs levee talks:  Local, state, federal reps collaborate on improvement project."

Foster City planning for
sea level rise starting now.

"Preparing to take on one of Foster City’s most significant projects in the Bayside community’s history prompted federal, state, county and local officials to gather Friday  (8/28/15) to discuss a levee project aimed at adapting to sea level rise.  The catalyst of the multi-million effort is to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s standards for a 100-year-storm and prevent nearly 9,000 properties from being subject to costly flood insurance.

....  Striving to bring everyone to the table to air any concerns upfront and format a collaborative process that will ideally result in a new levee by 2020, also brought officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and more."   Read article.

Reference:  City of Foster City, Public Works Department.  Lagoon and Levee Systems. "Lagoon System.  The Foster City Lagoon as a drainage detention basin is designed to withstand successfully a storm of 100 year return frequency, or a storm of such severity that it is likely to occur only once each century. The lagoon therefore provides maximum drainage security for Foster City. Stormwater collected throughout the City flows to the Foster City Lagoon. All storm water enters the storm drain system through curb inlets and catch basins, and drains into the lagoon from which it is pumped into the bay.  Levee System. Foster City's Levee system is primarily designed for flood protection. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has certified Foster City's levee as providing protection from the 1-percent annual chance (base) flood."

Levee Protection Planning and Improvements Project. "This project will raise the levee to meet the required elevation per Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 65.10, to retain accreditation. Based on the FEMA coastal flood hazard study, roughly 85 percent of Foster City's levee system does not meet the required freeboard elevation. Therefore, the levee will not retain accreditation status when the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is updated in mid-2016. ..."    Note photograph:  Foster City levee from this project reference.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Highway 101 closures, Sunday, 8/30/15

NBC Bay Area/Raji Ramanathan and Bay City News, 8/29/15. "All lanes on Highway 101 scheduled to close on Sunday for repairs." 

 Temporary power fix coming.

Both directions of Highway 101 will be closed from Sunday at 9 p.m. to Monday at 4 a.m., according to California Highway Patrol.  

Southbound will be closed from Milbrae Avenue in Milbrae to Poplar Avenue in San Mateo. 

Northbound will be closed from Anza Boulevard to Broadway in Burlingame. 

Crews will be restringing the overhead power cables onto the temporary high voltage tower during the closure, authorities said."  Read article.

Note photograph from the NBC Bay area article above.  Anyone know what power supply has been affected?

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Local firefighter teams sent to central Washington

The Daily Journal/Samantha Weigel, 8/29/15.  "Locals sent to battle Washington wildfires:  San Mateo, Colma, Pacifica firefighters respond to Gov. Jerry Brown's orders.

Eastern Washington open space

This house survived

More San Mateo County firefighters have been called upon to help battle some of the raging wildfires burning across the West Coast, with local agencies making up a significant portion of California’s resources sent to help Washington.  " In a rare move, Gov. Jerry Brown on Aug. 23 ordered his Office of Emergency Services and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to send 20 fire engines and personnel to assist out of state.The state’s master mutual aid system is frequently triggered to send teams out of their respective counties, but it’s likely been more than a decade since the governor directed firefighters out of California, said San Mateo Fire Chief John Healy.

....   Now, the three OES engines staffed by Pacifica, Colma and San Mateo firefighters are contributing to a strike team — a unit comprised of five engines each staffed with four personnel as well as one or two chiefs in a separate vehicle.

....  The state reimburses jurisdictions for their staffing costs and if someone is pulled from duty, another is quickly sent to replace them to ensure there isn’t a gap in service to the local community, Healy said. .... ... “Our mutual aid system is built upon the concept of  neighbor helping neighbor, an d this is another great example of helping our neighbors in a time of dire need.”....   Currently, California is also receiving assistance from departments in Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, according to Cal Fire. During wildfires on federal land, which is overseen by the U.S. Forest Service, various out-of-state or county agencies assist as well."   Read more.

This house did not survive

Firefighters off to contain fire

Reference, Fire Department - North County Fire Authority (serving Brisbane, Daly City and Pacifica).  Washington, local coordination, Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.

Related, WA fire news. Yahoo news/Associated Press/Rachel La Corte and Nicholas K. Geranios, 8/28/15, includes videos. "Frefighters holding their own against giant wildfire." ...."The National Weather Service had issued a red-flag warning earlier in the day for the fires near Okanogan, saying weather conditions had the potential to spread the flames. "All the lines are holding," Bernie Pineda, spokesman for the 450-square-mile fire, said Thursday afternoon.  ​CBS News/Associated Press, 8/28/15, includes 49 slides. "911 calls from fatal Washington state fire: "Send somebody fast." "Homeowners frantically asked for help as a swiftly moving wildfire headed toward their houses, 911 audio calls show...", includes 49 slides from KREM."

Note central Washington fire photographs. Surviving house near Cle Elum, WA by Elaine Thompson, from  NY Daily News/Associated Press, 8/16/15.  Firefighters at Reach complex/Wolverine/Black Canyon from  Q13 Fox News/AP, 8/20/15. Eastern WA, Okanogan Complex fire by Tom Randall/Associated press 8/18/15 from Q Fox 13 TV. Burned house and garage at Okanogan, WA by Elaine Thompson/AP from OPB FM/TV/Environment/News/Local, 8/24/15, "Fire in WA now largest in State history." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Highway 101 is still closed in Burlingame

Stuff happens!

ABC 7 News/Sergio Quintana, Melanie Woodrow, Staff, 8/29/15, includes 6 minute video, update 2:10 pm, "All lanes of Highway 101 in Burlingame closed due to downed wires."  Video.  Caption: "Thousands of drivers were stuck for hours after Highway 101 in Burlingame was shut down Friday night and it is not expected to reopen until 5 p.m. on (today) Saturday. (8/29/15)."

"BURLINGAME, Calif. (KGO) -- All lanes of Highway 101 between Millbrae Avenue and Anza Boulevard in Burlingame are closed due to downed power lines across the freeway. At 9:33 p.m. (Friday, 8/28/15) a PG&E transmission tower collapsed, causing a big power surge in the Bay Area that could be seen at AT&T Park as the lights flickered during the San Francisco Giants game.

PG&E says a third-party construction crew with a crane struck the transmission tower causing high-powered transmission lines to fall onto the highway. That caused traffic to stop for over six hours until PG&E could de-energize the lines and safely move drivers out of the way. They said they were waiting for special equipment to arrive on scene. Northbound traffic is being diverted to Anza Boulevard and southbound traffic is being diverted to Millbrae Avenue. The construction project that crews were working on is one that is jointly shared by Caltrans and San Mateo County." 

Note:  photograph and several slides by Michael Macor from San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate, 8/29/15. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Busted. Boy takes siblings for a ride, St. Paul, MN

Some young children choose to run away from home (even in the best of families).  Driving is one way, if keys are accessible.

New York Daily News/Rachelle Blidner, 8/28/15.  "Watch: Boy 8, in pajamas busted on yoy ride with foster siblings, 3 and 5."

What do we have here,
driving without legal age.

While running away was fun,
you're busted, and it's done.

"A pajama-clad 8-year-old boy took his sleepy foster siblings, ages 3 and 5, on an early morning joyride in Minnesota, newly released dash cam video shows. The unnamed boy cruised 15 miles down the highway, from St Paul to Mounds View, in his foster family's white Buick Roadmaster SUV before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25, according to local reports. The joyride, which went between 20 and 40 mph, came to a halt after State Troopers responded to reports of an erratic driver.
 ....  The children were taken into state custody as child protective services investigated their foster parents, who had reported the kids missing as police chased after them. They were soon returned to their foster parents, who were deemed safe. It's unclear why the boy took off or where he was going, but he has a history of running away, Fox 9 reported (includes video, 2:27 minutes).   Read more, includes slides.
 

Related articles. - Star Tribune/Mary Lynn Smith, 4/29/15. "8-year-old-drives car with two young passengers on Twin Cities freeways. "The 8-year-old boy likely could barely reach the car’s pedals or see over the steering wheel. But he climbed into a car early Tuesday morning (8/25/15) along with a 5-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy and drove down St. Paul streets and onto high-speed highways, then headed north before the State Patrol caught up with him.  .... Fortunately, none of the kids or anyone else on the roads were injured, she said. The 8-year-old and his two little passengers were not wearing seat belts, she said." KRON 4/Sharon Song, 8/28/15, includes video 54 seconds, "8-year old Minnesota boy leads state troopers on slow speed chase." "Officials say the two younger children, ages 3 and 5, are siblings and all three were in foster care in a St. Paul home. It’s unclear whether the children are still in the home."Daily Mail/UK, 8/27/25, includes slides and video, "Dash cam captures..." "The dash cam of a Minnesota cop car has captured the moment an eight-year-old boy was caught on a wild joy ride across town in his mom's car.State Patrol started getting calls about an erratic driver on Highway 36 near 35w in St. Paul during the morning rush hour."    Note: photographs from Fox 9 from the related Daily Mail article.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Harbor District finds their missing equipment (on paper)

Half Moon Bay Review/Carla Woundenberg, 8/27/15.  "Harbor District thanks persistent critic. Staff receives refund for missing equipment." 

Citizen to Harbor Commission:
Show us the IT equipment.

"John Ullom isn’t used to hearing too many “thank yous” from municipal officials. The Half Moon Bay resident holds a reputation for challenging local government action or lack thereof.

Last week, however, Ullom received a letter of appreciation from San Mateo County Harbor District Interim General Manager Glen Lazof. Lazof thanked him for voicing his concerns “rather persistently” back in June in regard to district spending for IT equipment that couldn’t be found. 

Ullom’s repeated inquiries prompted the interim general manager to start an internal investigation, and the district staff was able to locate documentation that indicated the district paid $34,689.31 to information technology vendor the Well Connected Office back in 2012. Though it paid for the equipment, the district now maintains the company never delivered it. The private company agreed and has sent the district a full refund."  Read article.

Note photograph from  Zastavki.com, and Hardware pics.com, "Empty room wallpapers and images". 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Latest Mussel Rock Park rescue

Pacifica Patch/Alexander Nguyen, Staff/City News Service, 8/26/15.  "2 dogs rescued after falling of cliff with man, woman. The two dogs remained after crews rescued the woman, but are now with their owners, humane society spokesman."

Who has the best cliff rescue team?  We're 99%
sure we do, but what a night and morning it was.

....  The U.S. Coast Guard responded at about 3 a.m. to rescue the woman and dogs off the cliff at Mussel Rock Park. The man who had been with her was able to get back up atop the cliff and call for help. 

Crews rescued the woman using a Coast Guard helicopter, hoisting her from 100 to 150 feet from the top and 100 to 150 feet from the bottom of the cliff.

....  The two dogs remained after crews rescued the woman, but are now with their owners, humane society spokesman Scott Delucchi (Peninsula Humane Society spokesman) said. .... the dog’s leg was injured."  Read more.

Related article -  ABC News/Avianne Tan, "Good Moring America, 8/26/15, "Coast Guard helps rescue woman and her 2 dogs trapped on California cliffside (shortly before 9 a.m.)."  "....  Though the women and dogs were stuck on the cliff, the man was able to walk over to nearby individuals in the area and call for help, the North County Fire Authority (NCFA) spokesman said. NCFA firefighters and Daly City police responded to the scene and located the women and dogs, but they couldn't perform a rescue because the dogs were very aggressive and protective of the woman, the NCFA spokesman said.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter unit was then called in for assistance. The Coast Guard's helicopter got to the scene around 5 a.m., but rough winds delayed the rescue for almost two hours, a spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Southwest told ABC News. A rescue swimmer was finally able to come down from the helicopter around 6:45 a.m. and get the woman onto a sling, he said... ... ... The woman was transported to a medical facility at the San Francisco International Airport, the Coast Guard spokesman said. She was listed in stable condition, treated for minor injuries and released. The man who called for help was also transported to a nearby medical facility, where he was also treated for minor injuries and released, according to the NCFA spokesman." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

City disfunction, a symptom

Pacifica Tribune, Letters to the Editor, 8/26/15.  "Something rotten" by Rev. Piers Lahey 

Perspective, everything is not "Pathetica".
Vision is needed to move the City forward.

"Editor:  I respect Mr. Medler's strong criticism of the way things are in Pacifica right now. It's very clear that there's "something rotten in the city." I would simply make two points. 

Mother Theresa sends word
from heaven: "peace to all."

First, using the word "pathetic" (pathetica)? I had an immediate flashback to John McEnroe when he used to rant and rave on the tennis courts, criticizing everyone from the ballboy or ballgirl to his current opponent and certainly to the umpire of the match and the line judges. I remember "pathetic" as one of McEnroe's favorite words.

Second, Mr. Medler states that Pacificans feel that nothing can be done about the Chamber of Commerce and the City Council. 

Well if the right person stepped forward, a person with the skills of a leader and motivator with courage and passion and a vision for Pacifica, with the right person directing efforts at reform who knows where this might lead and how much change would happen and how much good would be accomplished?  I wonder who that right person is? I wonder if that person is willing to make a difference." 

Reference article.  Pacifica Tribune Letters to the Editor, 8/19/15.  "Pathetic in Pathetica" by Roger Medler. "Editor: The town where I believe the public should arrest the police and investigate the city officials and Chamber of Commerce. I get no reply from any of these people. ..."

Photographs of Mother Teresa. Left from Fame Images.  Right from Being Peter Pan.  Related, Mother Teresa, 1910-1997.  Biography.com,  Mother Teresa Of Calcutta Center/Sisters of Charity, Wikipedia/Mother Teresa. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Boost to city tax revenue, San Bruno

Tanforan sold, Google (YouTube) bought.

The Daily Journal/Austin Walsh, 8/24/15. "Tanforan, YouTube building sasles lifts revenue in San Bruno: Major: Property purchase show city is open for business."

San Bruno:  Shop

Cool tech employment

"The recent sale of two corporate landmarks in San Bruno has brought forth a boon for the city in tax revenue from the purchases. The Shops at Tanforan sold for $174.4 million to Australian investment fund QIC, according to a press release Monday, Aug. 17, and Google spent $88 million to purchase the YouTube headquarters in twin office buildings at 900 and 1000 Cherry Ave. earlier this month, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

The sales generated about $68,400 combined in property transfer tax revenue for San Bruno, which splits the tax proceeds roughly in half with San Mateo County each time a property changes hands, according to San Mateo County Clerk Mark Church. 

.... In recent years, the city’s finances have begun to rebound thanks to a thriving local economy, as officials passed a $40 million budget in June. .... Tanforan is one of the city’s largest employers, and sources of revenue, contributing heavily to the $8.1 million officials have budgeted to receive in sales tax proceeds this fiscal year.There are 108 stores and services in the two-story shopping center, located at 1150 El Camino Real, between Highway 101 and Interstate 280.  ....  ... Despite the challenges associated with becoming a target of corporate investment, Mayor Ruane said there is an overall benefit for the city. “This is very good for San Bruno,” he said."   Read article.

Reference. City of San Bruno, California.  City-Data.com, population 42,443. Tanforan Shopping Center.  Google, Inc. (YouTube), San Bruno (Main Office), Careers.  Related. Google (YouTube), Find Law.  San Franciscol Business Times/Cory Weinberg, Reporter, 8/17/15. "San Bruno's Tanforan shopping mall sells to Australian investor."

Photographs. Tanforan Shopping Center from Forest City diversified Real Estate.  Google YouTube, San Bruno from their hiring Glass Door.

Posted by Kathy Meeh