Why must we wait?
To the Editor:
Regarding the installation of crosswalk blinking lights at Fontana Drive and Mecartney Road on Bay Farm Island, there are no posted speed limit signs on Mecartney and drivers are going from 35 to 50 or more miles an hour, even AC Transit buses.
The intersection goes from a one-lane road to a two-lane road right at Fontana. Cars go around other cars at high speed and do not look to see if there are pedestrians, bikes, etc. in the crosswalk.
I contacted the City traffic office to see if we could get blinking lights at this intersection and was told, “Wait for it!” There hasn’t been a significant number of incidents to warrant blinking lights on Mecartney. So, if we can get more people hit by more cars, trucks and buses then the City may think about doing something.
Don’t you think it would be better to be proactive and protect our residents than to wait for someone to be hit and killed? It has already happened.
The traffic situation in all of Alameda and Bay Farm Island is getting worse, so let’s be proactive. I walk, bike, and drive, and have lived in Alameda for over 70 years.
Lynn Perata
Alameda
Alameda needs to be prepared
Editor’s Note: This LTE was originally sent to Mayor Ashcraft and City Council.
To the Editor:
The USGS stated that the Hayward fault “is among the most active and dangerous in the United States because it runs through a densely urbanized and interconnected region.”
The center of Alameda is situated about 4 miles from the Hayward fault. Large areas of the city are built on sandy soil with a high water table and are subject to liquefaction during an earthquake, increasing seismic movement. Both factors contribute to a high fire risk.
During a major earthquake, gas and electrical connections are subject to damage, sparking fires all across the city, especially in wood structures. Thousands of wood Victorians in Alameda which have not been seismically retrofitted, are built on brick foundations with weakened structural connections. These houses also lack insulation between the wood exterior and interior walls to slow a fire down, allowing it to go straight to the attic and rooftop which are also built of wood. The fire risk during an earthquake cannot be overstated.
The city of Alameda is situated at the end of EBMUD’s water supply line system. EBMUD recently completed a new pipeline under the estuary to Alameda, but more work is needed. “Water infrastructure is the very lifeline of society,” Engineering and Construction Director Jimi Yoloye stated on the EBMUD website. “We cannot delay investing in this system.”
Regarding the Hayward Fault, the California Department of Conservation website states: “A sizable earthquake could cut off water supplies—not only for drinking, but also for fighting fires to nearly half the Bay Area.”
Public safety and finding the funds to prepare our city in case of disaster should be our number one priority. We are an island, surrounded by saltwater. We need to be able to access this priceless resource. In the event of damage to the Posey tube, as well as damage to the bridges, fires, toxic smoke and traffic jams, thousands of Alamedans could end up trapped on our island. As the city continues to build housing and the population increases, the City must also protect citizens from such disasters.
Alameda Fire Chief Nicholas Luby understands the potential risks and life-threatening danger posed by an earthquake and fire. He has designed plans for above-ground cisterns to store water at various locations across the island and is actively searching for grants to buy saltwater pumping systems. He estimates the fire department needs a minimum of $12 million to adequately prepare our city for a major earthquake on the Hayward fault.
The residents of Southern California probably couldn’t have imagined the worst case scenario they were about to experience. This should serve as a wake-up call to our city. In a recent survey, citizens of Alameda voted “safety” as their number one priority. I am calling on our elected leaders and citizens to think about “the worst case scenario” and prepare for the life-threatening risks posed by a major earthquake and fire. Chief Luby needs our support. Our fire department must have the necessary emergency water supply resources in order to protect the lives and property of the people of Alameda.
Thank you,
Ken Gutleben, Alameda building contractor
Excitement for Pacific Fusion
To the Editor:
Hallelujah! Alameda is about to embark on an exciting adventure which is opening a new epoch of human civilization.
On Tuesday, the Alameda City Council approved an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with Pacific Fusion to pursue a plan for the development of a frontier design fusion energy power plant on a parcel of land at Alameda Point.
I’ve been a fusion enthusiast since I was 10 years old, many decades ago, when I read a book entitled, Man-Made Sun. Later, I became involved with political advocacy and sold subscriptions to Fusion magazine, a popular science magazine that was unfortunately shut down by the federal government 1986. But that’s another story.
Today, we have the very real prospect of fusion as a viable commercial power source in the near future. Most discussions of fusion in the popular press these days portray fusion as an up-and-coming new technology which will add to our current array of alternative energy technologies. As in, here’s another way to fight climate change and provide electricity for AI and electric cars.
This completely misses the boat. We are talking about the mind of man harnessing the most energy-dense power source ever. We are talking about virtually unlimited cheap energy for the foreseeable future! This means cheap food and unlimited fresh water, anywhere on the globe. It means temperatures hotter than the interior of the sun at the disposal of industry, mining, etc. It means plasma technologies with applications we haven’t even begun to imagine.
Fusion power will truly be a game changer for the good. And we can play a role in that here in Alameda. In addition to Pacific Fusion’s role in developing this breakthrough for mankind, imagine how this will impact life in the city. Not only does it mean 250 permanent jobs of a skilled nature, but in the not-too-distant future, students at Alameda College, Encinal High, and Alameda High could be participating in apprenticeship programs in frontier areas of fusion and plasma technologies. We are just at the beginning.
Hunter Cobb
Alameda
Thank you!
To the Editor:
The Child Unique Montessori School and Montessori Elementary Intermediate School of Alameda recently held a science fundraising event for its award-winning school spanning from 18 months through eighth grade and would like to offer its gratitude to the following businesses for their valued support:
Alameda Natural Grocery (Marketplace), Alameda StudioTime, Cadenza Studio, Chels Kay Beauty, Color Me Mine, Craft Chocolate, Dandelion Flowers, En Verite AI, House of Prime Ribs, International Chi Institute, Julie’s, Megan Small Photography, See Spot Run, Sips Global Teas, Starland Music, Subpar Miniature Golf, SFJAZZ, Swings & Wings, and UFC Gym.
Thank you!
Rula Dias,
Fundraising Chair
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