On April 4, 2018, BPC submitted a letter of support for Assembly Bill 2578 (AB 2578) introduced by Assemblymember Chiu and co-authored by Senator Wiener and Assemblymember Ting.
Click here to read BPC’s support letter.
AB 2578 Infrastructure financing districts: City and County of San Francisco would provide a mechanism for the State to contribute funds for the San Francisco Seawall Earthquake Safety and Disaster Prevention Program (Seawall Program). The Seawall Program is an effort by the City of San Francisco and the Port of San Francisco to implement seismic improvements for the Embarcadero Seawall. Port analysis of the Seawall indicates that in a major earthquake, the Seawall is likely to slide and settle into the Bay bayward by up to 5 feet, resulting in significant life-safety risk and major damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Full infrastructure improvements are estimated to cost up to $5 billion. In November of this year, San Francisco voters will vote on a $350 million General Obligation Bond to improve the Seawall to withstand seismic and flood risks. AB 2578 would provide an estimated $250 million to the Seawall Program.
The Seawall supports the Embarcadero Promenade, which welcomes over 24 million people a year and produces over $100 billion in economic activity. Furthermore, the Port represents tremendous economic and industrial value as cargo shipping into and out of the Port has grown dramatically over the last year. AB 2578 will help provide the improvements necessary to keep the historic San Francisco waterfront a working and vibrant space for the region’s movement of goods industry and for the future enjoyment of residents and visitors.
Tags: AB2578, embarcadero, port of san francisco, seawall