TI access to be Shut down?

tomg · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 294

I sailed TI on Saturday and noticed new fencing going in all along the water's edge. Does anyone have intell on this? i am concerned out launch area will look like the NW corner of the Island where the shoreline path has been cut off from the public for at least five years. ostensibly for soil cleanup.

johnarmitage · Joined: 10 Jun 2001 Posts: 108

Dave has a meeting to talk with the Navy about it in a week or so.

radross · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 142

Made a call and sent an email to Bob Beck today. He is a reliable contact at TIDA who ensured we had a gap in the fence last year to access the ramp. Will post up any information received.
Ross

damel · Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 247

Hey, Does anyone know the current status of the TI launch.
Can you still get by the fence?
Do you launch behind the jetty or at the pipe?

With the SW flow that has become common seems like TI is the most consistent sailing spot now. I really hope at some point there is a solid launch there. Let the navy know that layers and layers of old carpet is good for containing radiation... and for rigging sails on.

greytwhyte · Joined: 02 May 1998 Posts: 21

The access at TI is going to change. There was a meeting on Wednesday between representatives of the windsurfing community, the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) and the Navy's remediation contractor. Thanks to those who were able to make that meeting, I'm sure I'm leaving someone out but Ross, Tom G, Bill Robberson, Daniel, Dave and possibly some others. The good news is the TIDA rep - Rich Rovetti wants to try to maintain some sort of access; however, the Navy rep doesn't understand the logistics of carrying windsurf gear. While there is still currently access to the ramp, there is new signage on Northpoint indicating no parking. Within the next few weeks it is expected that the Contractor is going to start hauling dirt away via the perimeter path then through the old parking lot and finally down M Avenue I think. Parking is in flux but may be along I Avenue or further South from there with rigging in a very small space just to the east of the fire lane gate. They then think we can carry our gear on the east side of some new fencing between the fence and the rocks. That could be problematic. Rich is trying to get more space. Weekday access would be after 4pm only once the contractor is done hauling for the day. I believe Bill will be posting additional information as it becomes available. For this weekend, you can probably still get to the ramp via the perimeter path. I sailed Tuesday and the remp was open. The timing of events is not set in stone so we'll just have to see when we go out there going forward. If all else fails, we could go back to 13th Street and swim out like we did a few years ago when they first blocked it all off.

sergem · Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 398

Thanks for doing this, guys!

rigatoni · Joined: 25 Feb 1999 Posts: 498

FYI-I stopped by there this evening on the way back into the city. Access to the launch is effectively shut down. The fence has been enlarged to include most of the parking spaces as well as the entire building behind which we used to rig. The perimeter road is also completed fenced off so there is no access to the ramp at all.

I hope you guys talking to the Navy will have more success than I have in the past. I would anticipate loss of access there for a minimum of this season and likely in the future as well.

radross · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 142

For now, the Navy/project manager has agreed to our having access to the ramp on weekends. This should start at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays.

Access to the perimeter path to the ramp will most likely be from the end of the perimeter path at Avenue I. How far up the path we will be able to drive to drop gear and/or then parallel park along the path, if at all, is unclear. But the Navy and TIDA (Treasure Island Development Authority) are expecting us to rig near the riprap then carry along a narrow strip of dirt between the recently installed fence and the riprap to the ramp.

TIDA supports our presence and offered resources to move a smaller fence to enlarge the "rigging area". TIDA is also trying to convince the Navy contractor to use moveable barriers between the ramp and rigging area that the contractor can move to enlarge the narrow dirt strip.

We also had discussed with the Navy/project manager his committing to have the gate opened M-Th., at 4:00 p.m., or when the contractor ceases for the day. The Navy/project manager's concern was convincing the Navy to incur the added expense of supposedly having to daily "wand" for radiation, once they start moving dirt, before they can open the path. TIDA strongly supports a daily opening.

Obviously, need to continue to work on getting this commitment. Four of us showed today at 4:00 p.m. It was blowing 28 and a construction worker was locking the gate at the end of the path. He told us they were operating under the instruction that it was "open only weekends." Some of us left and some of us rigged and went in over the rocks at 13th Ave., and floated/swam to the wind line. Total PIA.

Ross

rigatoni · Joined: 25 Feb 1999 Posts: 498

Ross-Did any of your discussions talk about the timeline for the project? I usually multiply their schedule by either 2 or 3 to get the actual project timeline.

dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314

Ouch that really hurts! TI was my treat in Apr-June and the go to for July-August when the fog rolls in. From the city opening at 4pm is a bit useless given the situation on the bridge. At least the weekends remain or jumping from rocks and swimming ... hopefully it will be only for this summer but what a pity.

It might be time to invest in a paddle to lunch at 13th! Shocked

Thank you for all the efforts!