Buchanan Bypass Faces Challenges
Since the 1990s Antioch and Brentwood commuters have been waiting for a thoroughfare known as the Buchanan Bypass, which would run from the intersection of Somersville Road and James Donlon Boulevard to Kirker Pass in Pittsburg. Better cross it off the wish list.
Although, as previously stated by former Mayor Donald Freitas, James Donlon was expanded at Somersille to include lighting, median divides and turnouts and Discovery Builders, owned by Albert Seeno, III, built out James Donlon about half a mile west of Somersville as part of agreements for the Black Diamond Estates, the bypass will probably never be built.
Both the Thomas family, which owns the land where the bypass would cut through, and Save Mount Diablo vehemently oppose the project.
As residents know, Antioch and Pittsburg, where Seeno rules the roost, have had our differences in the past and apparently problems are still ongoing.
Recently City Staff recommended that Council authorize amending the capital improvement budget to include the Markley Creek Culvert Crossing Project (a “bridge” to go over the creek which is on Somersille between Buchanan and James Donlon where the former Antioch and Contra Costa landfills were located), pay California Dept. of Fish and Game the $92,880 mitigation fee that Discovery Builders is now refusing to pay and amend the 2010-11 budget to include a transfer in the amount of $1,000,000 from Project Area #1 to the Capital Improvement Capital Projects Fund and in the alternative from the Gas Tax fund if Agency funds are not available.
City Council Member Wade Harper, however, recused himself from the vote regarding possible litigation claiming that since Seeno donated to his campaign he has a conflict of interest. Interesting since he neither owns a home or property within 500 feet of the land in litigation nor, to my knowledge, has any personal financial interest.
Barbara,
While I appreciate your column, I have to disagree that Seeno “rules the roost” in Antioch.
But, how both the Seeno project at the top of the hill, southeast of the James Donlon/Somersville intersection and the Discovery Builders project to the west of there, were allowed to be built without widening Somersville has had me scratching my head. That condition of approval seemed like a no-brainer, to me.
I also agree that Mayor Pro Tem Harper had no reason to recuse himself as he had not conflict of interest. Accepting a campaign contribution from someone or a company doesn’t preclude that council member from voting on that person’s/company’s project.
Otherwise no business owner in town would contribute to a council candidate, because there might be a time a vote would come up affecting that business.
The question to be answered is how much in contributions did Wade accept from the Seenos?
As for the distance issue, I thought it was 300 not 500 feet. I remember a time I had to ask city staff for a map and measure the distance from an East 18th Street widening project to my business in the Grocery Outlet shopping center to make sure it was more than 300 feet away, so that I didn’t have a conflict of interest. It was further away so I could vote and break the 2-2 tie of the other council members. (I doubt I would have had a conflict anyway, since the widening wouldn’t have affected my business for good or for bad to the tune of $10,000 per year).
Allen Payton
Publisher
One last thing, Barbara.
The other, main reason the Buchanan Bypass won’t be built is lack of funds. Pittsburg expected the East Contra Costa Regional Fee & Financing Authority (ECCRFFA) to pay more than they agreed to out of the developer fees for regional road improvements.
When I served on ECCRFFA, we had $4 million allocated to that road, out of a total $20 million budget. That was back 12-15 years ago. But, as you can imagine, the construction costs have increased since then.
It’s one of the main reasons Pittsburg pulled out of ECCRFFA and chose to keep all the developer fees for themselves, and is why Pittsburg is now sewing that joint powers authority, as well as TRANSPLAN and its members for the funds.
There’s another column issue for you!
Allen Payton
Publisher