Stagecoach Bridge – Update and Call to Action
Stagecoach Road Low Water Crossing
or
Project# BRLO5930-039
(Official identifier used by CalTrans & the Federal Highway Administration to identify our Stagecoach Low Water Crossing project)
The status as of Sept 2013 of the Stagecoach Low Water Crossing is that CalTrans is waiting for a permit from US Fish & Wildlife to allow construction of the bridge. As explained by our Public Works Dept, US Fish & Wildlife is concerned about the notorious red-legged frog and the effect that building this bridge would have on them. Even though none of our neighbors here in the Diamond XX have ever seen evidence of the existence of this creature, the US Government is convinced they could exist around here. The Road Committee was told that a formal negotiation between CalTrans and US Fish & Wildlife will be taking place to address the issue of the frog and the issuance of a permit. We were given no idea when this will happen.
Considering that we started this project in 2007, and can’t seem to move it along, Bob Toynbee contacted Congressman McClintock’s office and spoke to his district director, asking him to intercede with Fish & Wildlife and see if he could expedite handling of our project. He agreed to look into it and offered to update the Road Committee with what he had found by the end of next week.
If you’d like to help, call Senator Feinstein’s office (415) 393-0707 and Senator Boxer’s office (916) 448-2787. Ask them to help move this project along and refer to Project# BRLO5930-039
Tell them that this project was initiated 6 years ago in response to a flood in our community that left many of our neighbors stranded when this low-water crossing became impassible. Our community has set aside funds needed to apply for grant money for 5 years now rather than spend them on other badly needed road projects. We have done our part. Now it’s time for the government to do theirs.
Respectfully submitted,
Diamond XX Road Committee members Bob Toynbee & Jeane Kennedy
Comments are closed.
Maybe less confrontational than questioning the existence of that frog is looking at the site (which I have crossed many time on a bicycle in drought and high water, e.g. finding nematomorpha aka horsehair worms) and recognizing that common sense tells you that bridge wouldn’t change anything about the habitat. It is a small crossing before and after the bridge.
Thanks Leo – I agree. I think the main thing to stress is that this is a significant safety issue for our residents. During that last storm, some of the people marooned were elderly and infirm. It also slows emergency response even in dry weather, as heavy fire trucks need to crawl through that crossing. And to your point, the bridge will have virtually no impact on habitat – once it is in the mythical frogs will have a better time of it going beneath the bridge versus getting squashed by cars now!