July 14, 2000

California Coastal Commission
45 Fremont Avenue, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94105-2219

Dear Commissioners:

I request that the Commission staff do the following:

1.      Request Caltrans supply to the Commission the analysis that supports their statement that the Wyoming Railings as approved by the FHWA fall in the “Not Recommended” range of the LFRD Standards.

2.      Request the Wyoming Highway Department  to supply the Commission with there review of the conformance of the Wyoming Railing with LFRD guidelines.

3.      Request Caltrans to provide the Commission with a physical example of a two-rail system of the type described in my letter to Steven Scholl dated April 6, 2000.  This is a railing system appropriate for use on bridges with pedestrian sidewalks.  The inner rail consists of a Wyoming Rail, the outer rail of a light-duty pedestrian rail.  .

4.      Request Caltrans to  provide  the Commission with designs of a combination pedestrian and bicycle rail based on a Wyoming Rail modified using the approach used by the Golden Gate Bridge.  It has designed a new railing for the inner edge of the sidewalk to protect bicyclists from falling into traffic.  This railing meets all California and federal standards for pedestrians and bicyclists.  Yet, this railing is almost completely visually transparent.  The design achieves this by using thin, horizontal metal cables as barriers, rather than thick, closely spaced, vertical rods.

5.      Fulfill the request that I made in my letter to Mr. Scholl on April 6 for Caltrans tort liability information.

6.      Request Caltrans to provide the Commission with an updated schedule for construction of the Noyo Bridge.

7.      Place me on the appropriate list to be notified as early as possible of any permit applications by Caltrans for bridge construction or modifications.

I also request the Commission to write to Caltrans asking them to use one of the newly approved, metal scenic railings on the Noyo Bridge if the construction time schedule permits this to be done without undue delay in construction of the bridge.

Thank you  for you assistance.

Sincerely,

Vince Taylor

Executive Director