Features

Coalition Sues Caltrans Over Planned Caldecott Bore

By Judith Scherr
Friday November 16, 2007

Arguing that the California Department of Transportation did not adequately assess impacts on the environment in its plans to add a fourth bore to the Caldecott Tunnel, attorneys Stuart Flashman and Antonio Rossmann have filed a petition in Alameda County Superior Court in an attempt to get Caltrans to modify its plans. 

The petition, responding to CalTrans’ Environmental Impact Report on the project, was filed on behalf of the Tunnel Fourth Bore Coalition, consisting of the Rockridge Community Planning Council, the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association, the North Hills Phoenix Association, the Parkwoods Condominium Association and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. 

Coalition members claim that Caltrans failed to consider adverse impacts of construction for four years, particularly on nearby schools, the permanent impact of noise and increased speeds and traffic volumes, with accompanying air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions and the fourth bore’s inducement of new traffic growth.  

The petition also says the transportation department failed to consider alternatives, such as increasing public transportation. 

Flashman told the Daily Planet he believes CalTrans may be willing to negotiate rather than going to court. 

The city of Oakland has sued Caltrans separately over the project. The Berkeley City Council passed a resolution in opposition to the fourth bore, but did not file a suit against it.