pages: CityCouncil/2022-04-19.pdf, 12
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CityCouncil | 2022-04-19 | 12 | continues to be a long-time skeptic of the bicycle pedestrian bridge; the bridge is a hard sell due to the cost; the City will go after regional, State, and federal funding; Council should consider the correct bang for the buck; discussed census data related to commuters identifying 2% as bicyclists; stated nine times as many people are taking public transit relative to bicycle riding; the argument can be made that if the bridge is built, more people will begin to bicycle; the cost means Council should move carefully; he will continue to be a skeptic and will also continue to support the CARP; expressed support for people excited about the bridge; stated the Transportation Plan update and CARP are great things for the City. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated the City is looking at a lot of available federal money; Alameda is just as deserving as any other region in the country. Vice Mayor Vella stated the annual review of the CARP ensures the City is keeping on track with necessary changes; expressed concern about the price of gasoline; stated the cost factors into some of the updates and building for the future; stated groundwater is an important issue and is currently impacting Alameda residents; many residents are located within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zones and will have to carry costly flood insurance; concurred with Councilmember Knox White's comments related to addressing and prioritizing groundwater; stated the bicycle pedestrian bridge is being built in conjunction with the City of Oakland; the bridge will help connect Alameda to Oakland; small numbers of commuting cyclists are seen due to the unfriendly environment connecting to Oakland; the bridge project is regional; regional partners are helping; the bridge is the type of project the State and federal government are looking forward to; Council can continue to lead on the project and be a welcoming, multimodal City for everyone; the project is part of a cohesive plan being put forward in order to connect Alameda to the broader region; expressed support for staff's work on the matter; stated Council needs to prioritize the bridge in order to ask regional partners to stand with Alameda; she supports the matter. Councilmember Herrera Spencer discussed a conference with Bloom Energy related to advancing clean energy; stated a study has found a proliferation of backup generators across California; 90% are diesel fueled, which poses significant obstacles to achieving greenhouse gas reduction targets; there was a 22% increase in generators in Southern California last year and a 34% increase in the Bay Area over the last three years; Bloom Energy has connected the increase in generators to rolling blackouts and electricity interruptions; people come up with solutions to having electric service interrupted; electrical interruptions cause issues with operating medical devices, as well as food refrigeration, which many do not have the money to replace; expressed concern about people being alone in a dark home with an increase in crime; stated the reaction is not due to a lack of care for the environment, it is due to legitimate concerns; not everyone can afford to buy a new electric vehicle or provide charging infrastructure; she appreciates the topic of gasoline bring addressed; discussed her experience purchasing gasoline; stated many people are concerned about the cost of gasoline; many ideas are well intended; however, there is overreach and a disregard for the impact on regular people; many people do not make over $100,000, annually and do not work from home; some people Regular Meeting Alameda City Council April 19, 2022 10 | CityCouncil/2022-04-19.pdf |