After criticism, Caltrans plans a second public meeting on Albion River Bridge replacement
MENDOCINO CO., 9/11/24 — Faced with criticism about its one overcrowded public meeting held on August 13 to discuss the Albion River Bridge replacement project, Caltrans has changed course and extended its comment period to give people another month. Caltrans is also now planning to hold a second public meeting. In an email sent Monday, September 9, Caltrans North Region Environmental Chief Liza Walker wrote the date of the second meeting is still to be determined and that the meeting will likely be virtual, although it could be a workshop-style meeting. She said that Caltrans will respond to public comments it receives in that meeting. Previously, Caltrans said there would be no second meeting.
Caltrans says the new meeting is to let the public comment on its Albion River Bridge draft Environmental Impact Report. However, that was supposedly the aim of the August 13 meeting, at which Caltrans reps made it clear that the purpose of the meeting was to offer the public the chance to evaluate the five options for bridge replacement provided in the EIR documents. The environmental documents present statements about the economic, environmental, visual, and other aspects of each of the five options. Jim Heid, of the Albion Bridge Stewards, which is advocating for the repair of the present historic bridge rather than replacement, points out that it is unusual for an agency to evaluate five different bridge models in a single environmental document.
So far, none of Mendocino County’s elected representatives have weighed in on the plans.
The public comment period for choosing one of five designs for a new bridge expired Monday, but in her email, Walker said Caltrans would extend the comment period for another 30 days, to October 9, to give people time to attend the second meeting and then send in further comments. The Mendocino Voice will alert readers to the date of the second meeting once that date is made known.
The document and related technical studies may be downloaded at www.albionriverbridgeproject.com and printed copies can be viewed at the following locations:
• Caltrans District 1 Office at 1656 Union Street in Eureka, CA 95501
• Mendocino Community Library at 10591 William Street, Mendocino, CA 95460
• Fort Bragg Branch of the Mendocino County Library at 499 E Laurel Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
The Albion Bridge Stewards have released new information from a bridge engineer critical of Caltrans’ reports on the Albion River Bridge. UC Berkeley engineering professor emeritus Abolhassan Astaneh-Asl sent a letter on September 9 to the Stewards and Caltrans criticizing the state agency’s interpretation of its own inspection reports. That information is available on the Stewards website, along with other reports about the bridge not available from Caltrans. Astaneh-Asl has been critical of Caltrans statements and reports about the Albion River Bridge since at least 2014. He is probably best known as a critic of the disastrous San Francisco Bay Bridge replacement project, which ended up more than $6 billion over budget.
Public comments are now due by October 9. Comments may be sent via email to albionbridge@dot.ca.gov, by phone at (707) 441-5930, or via postal mail to Caltrans, Liza Walker, North Region Environmental, 1656 Union Street, Eureka, CA 95501.
The public can ask questions or request additional information about the proposed project from Katie Everett, Caltrans Project Manager, at katie.everett@dot.ca.gov or (707) 684-6998.
Please find related coverage about this subject from The Mendocino Voice below.
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