Caltrans Holding Scoping Meeting for Niles Canyon Road Bridge Replacement

Caltrans will be holding the second of two CEQA required Scoping

meeting in Fremont/Niles on 4 March between 7-9 pm at the Niles Elementary

School, 2nd street in Niles.

I attended the first Caltrans bridge replacement scoping

meeting in Sunol on Feb 25 and it is useful to offer a few thoughts before the

meeting next Tuesday - March 4 - at the Niles Elementary School.

1) The meetings do not involve a formal presentation or

Q&A session. They are the initial meetings required by CEQA to let the

community and interested parties know that a project is being planned and

obtain initial feedback on the need for the project and potential impacts.

2) The availability of background materials prior to the

meeting is limited.  

Caltrans has a webpage at http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/nilescanyon/

Another internet link is at http://www.savenilescanyon.org/ 

A third link is the Alameda Creek Alliance http://www.alamedacreek.org/take-action/protecting-niles-canyon.php

Currently Caltrans has not posted the draft alternatives for

the bridge replacement project on their Webpage but they were requested to do
so.

3) While participation at a scoping meeting is not counted

as a formal test of community interest it does send a message that the

residents and taxpayers have a vested interest in the project. When the protest

over the Caltrans now defunct project to widen the entire Niles Canyon Road

began several years ago the community in Fremont/Niles /Union City and others
rallied and showed up in mass at two community meetings to voice their

discontent. Having a presence at the Tuesday March 4 Scoping meeting at the

Niles Elementary School between 7 and 9 pm would send a signal that the community's
level of concern about preserving the environmental and scenic health of this
historic roadway remains steadfast .

Look forward to seeing you on March 4.