City Councilwoman Barbara Denny Published in San Diego Union-Tribune re: Tunnel is Fatally Flawed

Coronado Tunnel is Fatally Flawed No tunnel support exists on any level. Locally, Coronado residents are overwhelmingly against it. In a 1998 advisory vote they directed their government to do one thing — investigate funding for a bored tunnel. The cut-and-cover tunnel option was voted down in a prior advisory vote in 1988, yet it is still being studied today. Coronado voters never approved wasting $14 million on an impractical project involving local, state and federal lobbying firms. Legally, State Route 75 bridge drivers cannot be charged a $5 toll or more to pay off bond debt for a tunnel that would be a private road controlled by a public-private partnership. Coronado taxpayers will resist bond debt for tunnel construction and budget increases for tunnel maintenance. Higher safety risk accumulates for everyone with a tunnel — construction workers, public works/police/fire personnel, commuters and nearby homeowners — because of earthquakes, car fires and other threats. Coronado land use decisions no longer should be controlled by a few outside interests who will amass personal fortunes from a tunnel. With strong local and regional support, I’m working on an affordable and safe park-and-ride program to reduce our carbon footprint as detailed at www.barbaratdenny.com. Prior to being sworn in as Coronado City Council member in June, I worked in land use and water law, prevented regional officials from de-funding the San Diego Bay commuter ferry service and worked on the Coronado Transportation Management Association to improve transit service in Coronado. As a council member I voted against spending $1,540,350 of taxpayers’ money on the tunnel project. BARBARA DENNY Attorney at Law Coronado City Councilwoman [A shorter version of the above letter to the editor appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune on Sunday 11 October 2009.]