One would think most if not all major questions about the Last Chance Grade Tunnel Project would have been addressed to the public. Not so quickly. Cal Trans Corridor Manager Jamie Matteoli, Project Director Lianna Winkler-Prinz and Public Information Officer Myles Cochrane for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties hosted a Coffee Forum at SeaFront Bakery, last Friday morning from 10AM-12 Noon.The Last Chance Grade (LCG) proposes to construct an approximately 1.1 mile Tunnel bypass to the east of the existing of the long-troubled existing road alignment highway for decades. The current highway is unstable and has long be plagued by landslides and seismic activity. U.S. 101 Highway is the only major north-south route on the North Coast. $125 million has been spent on a band aid approach to fixing LCG.Several options to build a permanent detour around LCG. The public selected Alternative F, an approximately 6,000 ft.tunnel as the prefered option, selected in June 24. The Tunnel option is targeted for 2039 completion at a cost exceeding $2 Billion.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');To date, there’s no clear pathway to fund Last Chance Grade.Efforts to keep the existing alignment at Last Chance continue. After a steady flow of folks coming in and out of SeaFront Bakery last week, The Triplicate stuck around and asked a powerful question: “Do any of you remember the tragedy at Caldecott Tunnel in the East Bay?" The trio of DOT staff and few others expressed blank crickets looks on their faces.The Triplicate recoiled the East Bay tragedy near Midnight, April 7, 1982 in which a vehicle driving under the influence lost control then struck the tunnel wall and then was struck by a school bus (no children aboard). Within seconds, a tanker truck with 9,000 gallons of fuel slammed into the stalled vehicles, then exploded; several vehicles traveling 50-60 MPH, entered the third or northern most tunnel inferno and seven people perished in the flames.Matteoli then profusely thanked The Triplicate for recounting the event of four decades back. “Safety is our absolute most important consideration. The tunnel will have a heat-generated sprinkler system, a sophisicated smoke detector system, fresh oxygen pumped into the tunnel, state of the art smoke and inhalation systems, several exit doors within the tunnel and a public address system. All systems will operate 24/7/365, Water access and electric signs.”Matteoli also promised to include OES staff, Sheriff, CCPD, Crescent Fire and Rescue. CHP and Del Norte Ambulance.These groups and the public will be invited to attend future public input meetings. The possibility Alternative F may still be de-selected, has not been ruled out. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });