State Senator Leland Yee today announced he was introducing legislation to name the bore “Tom Lantos Tunnel at Devil’s Slide” in honor of the retiring Congressman.
Yee was joined by the mayors of Pacifica and Half Moon Bay at the site. He said (according to the press release) “No one single person is more responsible for this important project coming to fruition than Congressman Tom Lantos.”
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said the announcement was made at the tunnel.
I want to add my thanks for naming the tunnel after Representative Lantos. Without the funding this could not be happening -
This is a project that truly could not have happened without a great deal of dedication and follow thru by the entire community: I hope the twin bridges are named after Lennie Roberts and Ollie Mayer - and that other portions of the new trail are named after other community members who devoted so much of their lives to seeing that this project would happen.
Much bigger chunks of lives were spent over decades trying to stop the bypass over several decades than have been spent since duping the public on a project that is more than twice as big, more destructive of natural features of the environment, and more than three times as expensive (no one will be surprised if that estimate proves to be on the low side in the end) as it was promoted to be during the Measure T campaign. And all that has nothing to say about the probability the tunnels may not have been needed at all in order to have a perfectly serviceable, stable, scenic two-lane road within the protective spirit and letter of the Coastal Act.
So Ollie and Lennie, yes, but those who know the history since the late 1960's know Nancy Maule, as difficult as she could be, was just as responsible on a grassroots level for fighting the good fight to stop the bypass and attempting to ease the pressure for greater overdevelopment of the midcoast that is part and parcel of the road issue. To her credit, she wasn't conned into going along with a bloated underground freeway that will only increase the aforementioned pressure. When Harold Gilliam wrote his article on the cause, he correctly included all three leaders.
No one would have thought to mention Lantos at that time well over a decade ago, because he truly backed away from every plea by citizens to get involved in seeking a better project than the bypass. Nonetheless, his name on the tunnels will, in the end, be appropriate, as all he did was procure the pork for a project that will be an enduring monument to governmental heavy-handedness and waste.
Carl May
Congressman Lantos himself, in a statement released today, says that "The credit for creating the solution to the traffic woes at Devils’ Slide, after more than two decades of effort at every level, belongs to the members of the community who advocated this project as a way to protect the environment and to improve the situation for all coastsiders."
Michaele Benedict
Surely there is a more meaningful way to honor Congressman Lantos than his name on a green sign next to a tunnel?
I don't have any ideas to offer for consideration, just criticism that this particular action would not match his many contributions.
I think Carl has it right. This whole naming thing is a bit tacky and Yee comes off as trying to score brownie points if you ask me.
It's called Devils slide for a reason. Let's not screw up the name.
I think its a travesty and an insult to the hundreds of people who worked much harder than Mr. Lantos did to preserve that area, many of whom have since contracted incurable diseases also, yet I don't see any opportunistic politicians rushing to name highway projects after them.
As Carl points out, and as Mr. Lantos himself says in the quoted statement, it wasn't his idea - and he never supported it until Measure T happened. He just held on to emergency funds for a project at devils slide, whether that would be a 6 lane freeway bypass, tunnels, vacuum transport tubes, hovercraft, or star-gates. That effort is worth some credit, but ...
And it robs us all of a name that has been in place for hundreds pf years - before the OS railway blasted that big gap in the rock, the Spanish settlers and the local natives referred to the place as the slide of the devils. What's 500 years of historical context when there are self-serving press releases to be sent out?
I hope the Congressman takes his own words to heart and turns down the offer. I can't believe someone of his reputation as an humanitarian would care much about the naming and certainly would not be as petty as to take his funding and go home. And if he does and if he did, do we want to name our road after him?
I apologize for the diatribe, but I this just makes me ill. I don't want to see devil's slide become a politician's gravestone.
Well, and now a sheepish correction - I should double-check these things before I spout off. According to Barbara VanderWerf's book "Montara Mountain" ...
"Originally Devil's Slide meant only the promontory and the inland ridge. In the 1880's, travellers in horse-drawn wagons on the Half Moon Bay-Colma Road, which ran along the top of the ocean bluffs, paused to note the chute-like ridge ending in the massive rock dome. They thought it looked fit for a Devil's Slide and named it so."
Note - this was before the railroad blasted the road cut next to the rock.
So its only 130 years of history. In that case, not worth saving the name, I guess.
It was no small feat for Congressman Lantos - as a member of the congressional minority from 1994 through 1996 - to secure the funding for the tunnels (and for GGNRA, for that matter). We've all read how difficult it was for the minority party to get things done during the Gingrich/Hastert era. He's been a good representative for coastal issues. He let the community decide which alternative it wanted and he went to work to make it a reality. He deserves recognition. The way history gets rewritten around here let's name it after Tom Lantos before some other politician decides that his/her ribboncutting expertise is cause enough to name it after him/her, instead.
The question that should first be asked is, "Why name the tunnel?"
or,
"Does this tunnel, or set of tunnels, require a name?"
Why not leave it as "Devil's Slide Tunnel?" Or better, "The Devils' Slide Tunnel?" hahahahahaha, I like the second choice better.
Granted, it's a heck of project to drive by and regard, but all the work and landslides that led up to its inception to now the consideration of naming it, lead us back to its original name as its most fitting honorific.
There has been a good deal of discussion on Coastsider.com about possible naming of the Devil's Slide Tunnel. Although there are several citizens who worked for decades to achieve a solution to the transportation problems at Devil's Slide (such as Olive Mayer or Lennie Roberts), many Coastside citizens who worked very hard to get Measure T on the ballot and approved by approximately 74% of San Mateo County voters establishing the tunnel solution as the preferred alternative, and several local elected officials (such as Chuck Kozak and April Vargas) who worked extensively with CalTrans during the design of the bridges and portals as well as other portions of the project, it is really the Federal funding that enables this project to come to fruition.
Representative Tom Lantos has been instrumental in obtaining Federal funding for emergency repairs to State Route 1 over Devil's Slide and for a permanent solution. The tunnel would not be under construction without him. Therefore, in my opinion, if the Devil's Slide Tunnel can be named in honor of a single individual, Representative Lantos is the most appropriate choice.
Paul - I don't see the logic in that argument. Funding was just one of many critical components in the project. If Measure T had never happened there would be a 200 foot wide swath of concrete over Montara Mountain by now, an effort that would have been made possible by funding secured by Mr. Lantos.
One could make the same argument for Caltrans' sudden love affair with tunnels once Measure T passed as being what "really" enabled the project to come to fruition. Or that it was then-Supervisor Ted Lempert's work to get the feasibility studies done, or the amazing work of Lennie Roberts and April Vargas at keeping all the disparate elements together, coordinated and focused, or the work of dozens, probably hundreds of individuals, all making unique and critical contributions, that "really" enabled the project to come to fruition. As with Mr. Lantos, the tunnels would not be under construction without them.
So what is the most appropriate choice?
You can't pull out any of these components as more critical than the others - the critical factor that was common to all the effort was the desire to effect a repair to the highway at Devil's Slide, and it seems to me that to keep the name true to the place would be a much more appropriate choice.
Why not call the tunnels the "Devils Burrows"? Nutcases will misread this as the "Devils Boroughs," where the devils live, and refuse to drive through them, thus cutting down on some of the additional coastside traffic the tunnels will encourage.
Carl May
Maybe I'm missing something here but it seems to me that no matter what it's officially named, everybody will just call it the Devils Slide Tunnel or, more likely, just The Tunnel. When is the last time someone called the road to the sewer plant the Beverly Cunha Country Lane? Terry Baldwin
Making it about money and maintenance of power isn't what is good about politics and governmental bureaucracy. Making it about money and power is what is bad about these controlling areas of our society.
The least citizens who want something better can do is refuse to go along with the self-perpetuating game.
There is a bit of an odor about Yee's proposed naming. First, he knows virtually nothing about the history of the hyped-up Devils Slide debate, not having been around for it. But more creepy is the frequent recent mention of Yee as a candidate for Lantos's seat in Congress, which would mean a run against Speier this year. Everyone knows about this, don't they? Yee's naming proposal might be read as a move to garner favor with Lantos supporters. I have no way of knowing whether or not this is true. But it's an obvious potential ploy and the timing is suspect enough to be pushing my formerly neutral feelings based on the job Yee is doing in the state Legislature to the negative side.
Carl May
I suspect those suspicions are correct, in at least that Yee thought this wouldn't be a bad idea. And he has been publically mentioned as a possible candidate for the seat: http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=articles&func=display&aid=2561&ptid=9
and
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=85869
with all this in consideration, it is unlikely he would withdraw the lantos tunnel resolution, even if he did consider its inappropriateness, for fear of looking bad. This is probably a done deal, as these sort of things pass right through the state legislature system, and I would expect to see the rest of the local pols coming out with reflexive resolutions of support in the next week.
So this is how things like the Lou Pappan Highway happen.
ck
Leland Yee responded to a request from a constituent who wished to honor a respected congressman by naming a public project for him. I never imagined the suggestion would stir up so much debate, some of it rather mean-spirited. Rather than rehash the history of the tunnel and who was greener-than-thou, why don’t we just agree to disagree and go back to getting rid of the pampas grass up there? Michaele Benedict
There should be no surprise that this suggestion would stir up much debate, given the location's history. Too many years and too many people involved make this location not fitting for a single name. Additionally there is the aversion that many people feel for monument markers on our state highway structures.
Our comments are merely voicing community support, as part of our larger democratic freedom, in opposition to a proposed legislation. Without a memorial sign, the tunnels remain simply as tunnels, much like the Gaviota Gorge Tunnel or the Cuesta Pass Grade. The California landscape remains as the indicator to one's route.
Our Governor voiced his opposition to the possibility of "an undesired plethora" of named-for signs when he vetoed SB 652 this past October:
"BILL NUMBER: SB 652 VETOED DATE: 10/10/2007 To the Members of the California State Senate: I am returning Senate Bill 652 without my signature. This bill makes a credible effort to clarify the often contradictory and confusing guidelines for the naming of state highways and structures. However, the process outlined in this bill essentially cedes control of the placement of these types of signs on the state highway system to local officials based on the desire of just one state legislator who requests a sign. This method could result in an undesirable plethora of signs throughout our state. Since these are state highways, any process devised must have the final authority for the placement of these signs reside at the state level, either in a full vote of the state Legislature or by actions taken by the Executive Branch. I encourage the Legislature to work on the development of guidelines that clarifies the naming process while maintaining the ultimate authority for the placement of these signs with the State of California. Sincerely, Arnold Schwarzenegger"
From "CalTrans 2006 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances In California" Page 5: "Committee Policy on Resolutions for Naming Highways or Structures Recommended Policy: Regarding resolutions introduced on or after April 26, 2004, the Committee will consider only those resolutions proposing to name or designate state highways or highway structures which meet specific minimum criteria. The criteria shall include the following conditions: a) Any person being honored must have provided extraordinary public service or some exemplary contribution to the public good and have a connection to the community where the highway is located; b) The naming must be done without cost to the state: costs for signs and plaques must be paid by local or private sources and there must be a small additional amount, as determined by Caltrans but not to exceed 10% of the installation cost, donated to cover ongoing maintenance costs; c) The author or co-author of the resolution must represent the district in which the facility is located and the resolution must identify the specific highway segment or structure being named; d) The proposed designation must reflect a community consensus; e) The proposed designation may not supercede an existing designation unless the sponsor can document that a good faith effort has uncovered no opposition to rescinding the prior designation; and f) When a resolution names a highway or structure in honor of an individual, the designee must have been deceased for at least 18 months, except in the instance of elected officials, in which case they must be out of office."
Source: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tsip/hseb/products/2006NamedFreeways.pdf
Dan's www.cahighways.org write-up on Named-For Highways & Structures, includes an inventory of all State Highway tunnels (scroll to bottom of page): http://www.cahighways.org/stats1.html
In all the State of California, there are only three named-for tunnels: MacArthur, McClure, and Waldo, and yes, they are less-known as their "official name, but more often referred to as the Presidio, Santa Monica, and Rainbow.
Please let's just leave it as Devil's Slide Tunnel.
As written above:
"Leland Yee responded to a request from a constituent who wished to honor a respected congressman by naming a public project for him. I never imagined the suggestion would stir up so much debate, some of it rather mean-spirited."
What? A constituent sends in a request and now we have legislation being proposed to make it happen? Talk about special interest politics.
Maybe Leland Yee should conduct a poll of all residents who have an interest in this (meaning all residents of the state of California) before making a decision rather than just responding to a few vocal advocates.
"In all the State of California, there are only three named-for tunnels: MacArthur, McClure, and Waldo, and yes, they are less-known as their “official name, but more often referred to as the Presidio, Santa Monica, and Rainbow."
Good digging, Annaliese. Your finding of the naming regulations reminds one of all the laws and regulations that our dear politicians (state, county, and local) and highway bureaucrats attempted to honor in the breach while they were trying to blast, figuratively and literally, the bypass freeway over Montara Mountain. I recall Ollie Mayer finding a number of them as she dug into the piles of arcane documents.
You missed one named tunnel--the Collier Tunnel on 199 near the Oregon border. If a tunnel had to be dug under Devils Slide, an updated version of that truly two-lane design would have been vastly more appropriate than the overdesigned, overpriced double-barreled boondoggle we are ending up with.
Anyone who lived in Siskiyou County in the mid-20th Century knew of their local State Senator Randolph Collier, whose family owned the county's largest title company, among other things. When the Supreme Court decided all state legislators must be elected on something resembling a one-person one-vote basis, Collier's repeated re-election was ensured as people of the north state, including those who didn't like the imperious ass, voted for him because of his power-providing seniority in the State Senate. For many years he was Chair of the powerful transportation committee in the Senate, wheeling and dealing in the fat-dripping pork of transportation projects. The Collier Tunnel, which eliminated miles of windy, icy winter road over a mountainside, was actually a rather poor choice of something for his name. Something like "Collier Bend" for the miles-increasing jog Interstate 5 takes at Grenada in order to detour the freeway through Yreka (where guess whose family centered their businesses and wealth) would have been more apt.
So which definition of "consensus" did Yee have in mind with his bill? It certainly couldn't have been the "general agreement" one unless he cops to being ignorant of the imbroglio he has now inserted himself into.
Carl May
Wikipedia - The Caldecott Tunnel is a three bore highway tunnel in Oakland, California, United States. The east-west tunnel is signed as a part of State Route 24, and connects Oakland to communities in Contra Costa County, through the Berkeley Hills. The tunnel is named after Thomas E. Caldecott, mayor of Berkeley from 1930-1932, and president of Joint Highway District 13, which built the first two tunnels. .....
Leland Yee declared today that he's not running for Lantos's seat.
However, there's still something unseemly about elected officials naming things (other than legislation) after one another.
I found the Caltrans rule quoted above to be equally unseemly:
When a resolution names a highway or structure in honor of an individual, the designee must have been deceased for at least 18 months, except in the instance of elected officials, in which case they must be out of office.
...In other words, elected officials are the only living human beings after whom roads and structures can be named.
"When a resolution names a highway or structure in honor of an individual, the designee must have been deceased for at least 18 months, except in the instance of elected officials, in which case they must be out of office."
"...In other words, elected officials are the only living human beings after whom roads and structures can be named."
Was going to make the obvious quip--but, nah, too easy.
Carl May
I lived in Southern California for 39 years, drove through the McClure Tunnel many hundreds of times, and never knew that that was the McClure Tunnel, although I had heard the name. That goes to the core of my argument that public facilities should be named after the location. I bet that only a tiny fraction of a percent of the people driving through the McClure Tunnel know its official name.
Another reason for not naming public facilities after people is that more often than not it's controversial, as we can see here. Other than those who want it named after Lantos, I haven't seen anything written against naming it the "Devil's Slide Tunnels".
Just for grins and trivia:
The naming of the tunnel as "Caldecott" is due more to the Mayor's service as president of Joint Highway District 13 which oversaw the 1930's construction of the multi-bore tunnel. Previously, while it was a single-hole bore, that tunnel had been known for 47 years as the "Broadway Tunnel."
:)
One other thought: If we need a new name, let's call it the "San Pedro Mountain Tunnel," eh? Mmm, still, not quite as catchy as "Devil's Slide Tunnel," but it is fitting.
Congressman Lantos deserves every tribute. Not necessarily because his contribution to this project but because he is a human rights champion. He fought the Nazis and survived the Holocaust thanks to the Swedish Diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, who 63 years ago was abducted by the Soviets and his fate is still a mystery. Lantos never forgot his debt to Wallenberg. He kept the latter's legacy well alive. Only recently, Rep. Lantos was the first to sign our "100,000 names for 100,000 lives" petition to Putin's administration, aimed at getting credible answers about Wallenberg's fate and whereabouts. We wish Congressman Tom Lantos a prompt and full recovery.
Perla Graisman
The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
So, in addition to overlooking Lantos's refusal to help us over a couple of decades in our quest to prevent a totally unnecessary five-to-six-lane highway from being gouged through Montara Mountain, now we are supposed to reflect on his record as an international humanitarian? In the opinion of many, he has had his dark and ugly moments in that arena as well, especially in recent terms. But a road name designation seems hardly the place to slog through all of that.
Like Chuck, my guess is that there is no stopping the naming of the tunnels. Politicians praising politicians--wonder where that would rank in a public poll of means by which honors are granted?
Knowing that a neutral name is now as unlikely as any politician being influenced by the disagreement here, maybe better we should move on to whether or not San Pedro Mountain qualifies as a name because it does not meet an artificial definition of a "mountain"?
Carl May
With apologies to the memory of Raoul Wallenberg (and many, more recently "vanished" individuals who have not received anything near that kind of attention), but wouldn't you want a more appropriate memorial to that aspect of Mr Lantos' work?
And my impression of the definition for a mountain was any geological form that rose more than 1,000 ft from its surroundings, a rumored fact I could not find verified anywhere when I looked. Most of the world uses 600 meters (about 2000 ft), but we're not most of the world, we're merkans and have nothing that formalized, and apply the term mountain to pretty much anything with a defined peak or top.
San Pedro is 1040' above sea level at its sort-of well-defined tippy-top, and the sea is at its western edge. The USGS names it as a mountain on its topo, it is geologically distinct from the granite mass of Montara Mountain, so I think it can qualify. Reads better than San Pedro Hill, which sounds like something Teddy Roosevelt would've charged up (and we have enough politicians assualting the area at the moment).
Sorry for commenting again, however...
I found this exchange which pretty much settles the debate on the proposed naming of Devil's Slide Tunnel to "The Tom Lantos Tunnel." Tom doesn't want the designation.
From the September 17th, 2007 ceremony, kicking off the tunnel's digging:
"State Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, said the tunnel is an example of the public will prevailing over bureaucracy.
"This is about a community that felt it knew better," he said.
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, surprised (Lennie) Roberts by calling her to the podium and telling her she would start the hole through the mountain. As a leader in the push for a tunnel, he said, she deserved the honor.
"This will be the people's tunnel," he proclaimed."
source: http://dist08.casen.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC;={E917F382-8B46-4C4E-976E-64261965F209}&DE;={860D0D05-3548-464F-A176-E604EA2689F8}
Oops. The link takes one only to Yee's home page, so here is the original article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/18/MNR5S7S4V.DTL&hw=Digging+begins+on+tunnel+at+Devil+Slide&sn=001&sc=1000
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Thanks, Leland. This is a worthy tribute to a great man.