San Ramon Canyon Stabilization Project Meeting Notes

I attended my second meeting regarding the San Ramon Canyon Stabilization Project, last evening.

This second meeting was much better than the first, in my opinion. Gone from this meeting were so many negative comments from residents directed towards the geologist at the prior meeting and others who presented the first meeting.

Again I applaud Councilman Anthony Misetich for participating in the second meeting just like he participated in the meeting back in May. He demonstrated that our City Council is extremely interested in doing all the problem solving necessary to repair the drainage of San Ramon Canyon and work to avoid any disruption of traffic on the switchbacks.

There were two points of major importance brought up during the progress report section of the meeting that are very positive and I feel are very good to now know.

First, there are already plans underway to really deal with any interim problem that could force the closure of Palos Verdes Drive East, at or near the switchbacks.

City Staff, working with other agencies and contractors have identified the possibility that some time of interim roadway stabilization could come much sooner than any permanent repair of the canyon and any new drainage system.

Several times, the use of 'soldier columns' I think referring to long steel beams supporting large pieces of lumber could be reasonably quickly sunk into the failing canyon wall to stabilize the roadway above. Even core samples have already been taken to determine if that is a good option during the time the rainy season officially begins on October 15 and when the permanent repairs are completed, sometime in the future.

The second piece of news is that the original 'best guess' estimation for the cost of a permanent repair was about 19.5 Million Dollars.

At last night's meeting the Project's Leader suggested that any of the three alternatives now being considered for further study would probably come in at a total cost of around 10 Million Dollars or almost half of the original estimate.

Presenting the status meeting were the Project's leader, a contract geologist, several members of our City Staff, and other contracted representatives who had experiences with the other major canyon problem, corrected not that long ago and a person who worked quite a bit on the Blue Bird Canyon disaster repair in Orange County.

Statements during the meeting suggested that the Initial Study may come out this coming fall and that four alternatives will be studied.

In every Initial Study, under normal circumstances, the "No Project" alternative is legally required. It must be studied and both the pros and cons must be discusses for doing nothing to fix the problems.

Currently, Alternative #1 seems to be tauted by those giving the meeting as the best repair fix now being considered.

This alternative would have a tunnel constructed, beginning just above the Tarapaca landslide area and ultimately ending with an outfall into the Pacific Ocean, all constructed on and under land with the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

Alternative #2 has the canyon being cleared of debris and then placing a large pipe at the bottom of the canyon, hooked into the existing drainage pipes that run under 25Th Street and through an old system located within Los Angeles, again with its current outfall into the Pacific Ocean.

Alternative #3 is a combination of a tunnel or piping system beginning at the base of the top of San Ramon Canyon and continuing down the canyon to then hook with the existing system, again within Los Angeles.

Alternative #1 provides the greatest amount of construction, responsibility, and authority within the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

The tunnel would go under the switchbacks and once it crosses under 25Th Street/P.V.D. South, the tunnel becomes and open culvert until a second tunnel takes the water and debris to the Pacific Ocean, at the bottom of the cliff.

It was also strongly suggested that these matters be taken before the R.P.V. City Council during one of is upcoming regular meetings to offer a status report to the members and get their first recorded responses and opinions about what could go forward.

Look for a third meeting in the fall, probably on or near the publication date of the Initial Study.

Work is being done on solutions to get a permanent repair for the drainage failure issues. Things have not been dormant, in any way, since the prior meeting, on an evening in May.

I see the project receiving the necessary support from City Staff and I hope the interest by all Council members is reflected well with the words provided by Councilman Misetich.

I do happen to be able to confirm that all members of the Council are very interested and concerned about all aspects with San Ramon Canyon and the surrounding community.

This issue must remain on the front burner and I appreciate that our Council also seems to believe that, too.