Resolution 04238374
RESOLUTION NO. 4236
MEMORIALIZING TEE CONGRESS OF T} UNITED STATES, THE SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE, TEE NAVY' DEPARTMENT, THE DEFARTMENT 0E. 'I0 ARMY
AND TEE -UNITED .STATES AIR FORCES IN THE MATTER OF TEE CCNSTRITC-
TION OF A SECOND ESTUARY TUBE CONNECTING TYE CITIES OF ALAMEDA
AND OAKLAND AS A MEANS GP ACCELERATING TRAFFIC COMMUNICATIONS
BETWEEN THE DEFENSE PLANTS AND GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS IN TEE
EAST BAY AREA,
WHEREAS, our Country is again faced with a national emergency involving
national defense, which, in turn, will. bring about the reactivation of defense plant.
and Government installations throughout the Country, and in the successful meeting
of which adequate transportation will play an imnortant part; and
WEEPZAZ, in the Cities of Alameda and Oakland there are located many vi-
tally important defense plants and Goverment installations, inclUding, in Alameda,
Alameda Naval Air Station, Pacific Overseas Air Materiel District and United States
Air Forces Depot, United States Maritime School, Todd Shipyards, United States Mari-
time Commission-Bethlehem Steel Shipyards; and in Oakland, the Oakland Naval Supply
Depot, Oakland Army Base, Oakland Naval Air Station, Moore Drydock Company, and, In
both cities, numerous other plants now being readied or operated for defense: and
WIT.REAS, the Cities of Alameda and Cakland are connected at the west end
of Alameda by a two-lame vehicular tute under the San Antonio Estuary, which tube,
known as the Posey Tube, handled during the late war an average of approximately
3O,000 vehicles per twerty-four hours, making it the most heavily traveled and most
dangerously overcrowded strip of highway in the entire Country, and which volume of
traffic has, since the end cf the war only very slightly diminished, resulting in a
badly congested and dangerous traffic cituatien during most of the daylight hours;
and
WHEREAS, with the reactivation to a war footing of the aforementioned
Government installations and defense plants in the Cities of Oakland and Alameda,
it is anticipated that the volume of traffic through the existing tube will be equal
to, if not in excees, of the load handled during the war just ended; and
WHEREAS, during the days just prior to World War II and during that war,
the need for a second tube paralleling the existing tube was fully recognizea by
various Departments of the United States Government but the construction cf same was
deferred for various reaeons, as will appear from the follbwing;
November 19, 1940: Admiral A. J. Hepburn, Commandant Twelfth
Naval Dietrict, in a communication to the Secretary of the Navy stated:
"let would appear (after reviewing the added traffic created by the
added personnel, civilian and service, at the Alameda Naval Air Station)
therefore, that the need for an additional tube will become more and
more necessary with the increase of Governmental activities in Alameda,
primarily those of the Defense Department, and for that reason the
Commandant has no hesitancy in recommending this project as one worthy
of support by the Department."
March 22, 1942: E. R. Hein, Captain, United States Navy, Chief of
Staff, Twelfth Naval Dintrict, in a communication addressed to the City
Manager of Oakland, said, "There is general agreement by all concerned
as to the aerioue need for such a tunnel. However, in the light of
existing conditiens, it was agreed that it was net practicable, for
various reasons, to undertake such a project at this time. Among the
:rectors, Involved are the length of time for construction and the short-
age cf labor and critical materials."
September 6, 1944: Vice-Admiral B. Morell (GEC) United States Navy,
Waahington, D. C., in a letter sent tc the City Manager of Alameda, after
pointing out that in February, 1942, the Navy Department, recognazing
the merits of the proposed additional tube, certified a project to enable
the preparation of plane, .specifications and estimates. This work was
financed by the Public Roads Administration with funds made available for
access roads under the Defense Highway Act", had the following to say con-
cerning the Navy's attitude in the matter of a second tube: "As you
probably know, the Department has always admitted the desirability of an
additional tunnel under the Estuary because traffic desiring to use the
existing tube is at times beyond its capacity, and water borne traffic
on the Estuary precludes construction of a bridge."
July 5, 1945: . L. B. Cools, Rear Admiral (CEC.) United States+ Navy,
Washington, D. C., writing tc the City Manager of Alameda, stated: "I
hope that the labor situation on the went coast will continue te improve,
such that favorable consideration can be given toward undertaking a project
for the Oakland-Alareda Tube. However, we till have cur difficulties in
obtaining and holding adequate personnel for carrTing on our current con-
struction program,"
July 30, 1945: Sam Kagel, State Manpower Director of Northern
California, in a letter to the Clty Manager of Alameda, said: "As to
the availability of manpower required for the construction of a tube
between the Cities of Oakland and Alameda, we believe we can assure
you that the maximum requirement of 350 construction workers can be
met after January 1, 1946," and on August 12, 194.5, Admiral R. E.
Ingersoll, .United States Navy, Commander Western Sea Frontier, com-
menting on the manpower situation, stated that "Construction (cf a
second tube) at this time would interfere with construction essen-
tial to the war effort, but it is believed that by January 1, 1945,
the labor situation will have improved to such an extent that work
on this project could be undertaken without interfering with the
war effort.
On January 22, 1946, R. F. Ohmer, Colonel, Air Corps, Commandant
Pacific Cverseas Air Technical Service Command, fcrwarded to the City
of Alameda the following decision of Headquarters Army Air Forces:
"The Army Air Forces is cognizant of the acute traffic problem in-
volved and of the necessity for prompt relief through the construc-
tion of a second tunnel between Oakland and Alameda. Such construc-
tion will undoleyedly be of indirect benefit to Army and Navy facili-
ties located in the Eastbay Area," and
WHEREAS, the endorsements of the project for a second Estuary Tube were
made by Army and Navy Officers having a close acquaintanceship with the condition
under which the existing tube operated during World War II and presumably were cf
the opinion that the construction of the second tube would have greatly facilitated
the transportation problems involved. in the operation of the Government installa-
tions in this area; and
WHEREAS, the bottlenecking of traffic between Oakland and Alameda during
the present emergency should be eliminated in the interest of the most efficient
administration of national defense through the construction of a second tube under
the Estuary and paralleling the existing tube.
NOW, THEPEFOFE, 3M IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY' CF ATAMEDA that
the Congress of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Navy Department,
the Department of the Army and the United States Air Forces be, and they are hereby,
memorialized on this subject and respectfully urged and requested to immediately
find and determine that a second tube under the Estuary between the Cities of Ala-
meda and Oakland is necessary and essential to a proper solution of the traffic
problem now existing and becoming aggravated by the activation of defense plants
and Government installations in the Eastbay Area and, hence, to an efficient ad-
ministration of the defense effort in this area.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that they be respectfully urged and requested to
immediately recommend and make the apprcpriations of monies required far the con-
struction of the said second tube and thereafter immediately proceed to the con-
stmuction of the work.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was
duly and regularly introduced and adopted by the Council of the City of Alameda
in regular meeting assembled on the 15th day of August, 1250, by the following
vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmen Anderson, Jones, Csborn, Sweeney. and President
Branscheid, (5).
NOES: Nene, ABSENT: None.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official
seal of said City this lath day of August, 1950.
( SEA L )
1. P. CLARK
City Clty Clerk of the City of Alarneda
375
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true and correct copy of
"Resolution No. 4238, .✓ 'Iv1ORIALIZING THE CONGRESS CF THE UNITED STATES, TiIE SECRE-
TARY OF DEFENSE, THE NAVY DEPARTMENT, TIC DEPARTMENT DE THE AREY.AND TIIE UNITED
STATES AIR FORCES IN TEE MATTER OF THE CONSTRLCTICN OF A SECOND ESTUARY TUBE CON -
NECTING THE CITIES OF ALAM DA AND OAILAND AS A DEANS OF ACCELEitATI1\`G TDAF ^'IC CO8-
T(liNTCATIONS BETWEEN THE DEFENSE PLANTS AND GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS IN THE EAST
BAY AREA," introduced and adopted by the Council on August 15,.1050.
of the Oity of Alameda