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Bay Area <br />17 <br />Ridge <br />T r a i 1 <br />Council <br />Chris Zapata <br />City Manager <br />City of San Leandro <br />835 East 14th Street <br />San Leandro, CA 94577 <br />January 27, 2014 <br />RE: Application for Partnership Planning for Sustainable Transportation Grant for the San Leandro Creek <br />Multi -Use Greenway Trail <br />Dear Mr. Zapata, <br />I am delighted to offer support for the City of San Leandro's application for funding from Caltrans' <br />Partnership Planning for Sustainable Transportation Grant to develop a master plan for the proposed <br />San Leandro Creek Multi -Use Greenway Trail. <br />Partners working to develop this vision for the Trail include the City of Oakland, East Bay Regional Parks <br />District (EBRPD), BART, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Merritt College, Rails -to -Trails Conservancy, <br />and the County of Alameda (flood control district and District 3 political leadership). There have also <br />been numerous community meetings with residents of the corridor during the past several years, and this <br />grant provides a tremendous opportunity to build on these efforts to fully engage the stakeholders in the <br />area. <br />The San Leandro Creek is an amazing and underutilized right-of-way. It is one of three `open creeks' in <br />the East Bay (along with Alameda Creek in Fremont and Wildcat Creek in Richmond). A restored urban <br />creek and trail system can dramatically improve the quality of life for residents, providing a resource for <br />active transportation, access to nature, as well as generating jobs and enhancing property values. Many <br />already use this creek -way as a trail, going through holes in the fence, as it allows the most direct way to <br />school or to get to the nearest shopping and BART transit centers in the City of San Leandro. This creek - <br />way trail will also support the regional trail network, as it will serve as a connector trail between the Ridge <br />Trail and the Bay Trail. <br />Without a doubt, this project can turn the San Leandro Creek from being a "back door" dumping ground <br />to becoming a prized "front door" community asset that activates creekside businesses, provides <br />educational opportunities for adjacent schools and links neighborhoods to the beautiful regional parks we <br />have in the East Bay area. The Trail would also serve environmental justice goals by providing a critical <br />connection for many low-income residents to schools and employment opportunities. <br />We look forward to the opportunity to work closely with the project partners and communities in San <br />Leandro and Oakland to move this project to reality for the health and resiliency of all our communities. <br />Sincerely, <br />5k*,Vx� W,- �Q <br />1007 General Kennedy Avenue, Suite 3, San Francisco, CA 94129-1405 • Phone 415-561-2595 • www.Ridgelraii.org • info@Ridgelrail.org <br />