Surfrider invited to DTOP to Discuss Bikepath

As a follow up to a meeting in the Mayagüez regional office the prior week, Surfrider was invited to San Juan on December 4, 2007 to meet with Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) officials regarding the proposed Rincón bicycle trail. The meeting was well attended and included the Executive Director of the Highway Authority (ACT) José E. Hernández Borges.

At the meeting, DTOP’s Thelma Valenzuela Sanchez outlined some changes that DTOP intends to ask the architects to make to the plan. Some of these changes, like the elimination of gabions, were a direct result of community outcry. Other changes, like the addition of kiosks, were requested by Rincon’s mayor Carlos López.

While the potential modifications are a step in the right direction, the plans still include a number of seawalls at Domes, Tres Palmas and the Balneario. The overall scale of the project remains vastly overbuilt with minimum pavement widths of 12 feet.

In addition to the documented changes, DTOP officials also agreed to review the placement of the path heading south at Steps Beach and at Marias.

The future maintenance of the path was discussed at the meeting. ACT Executive Director José E. Hernández Borges indicated that while the municipality of Rincón would be responsible for maintenance, there is currently no proposed budget or forecast of the costs required. In a prior meeting, Mayor Carlos López had requested the addition of kiosks that would be leased to help off-set the cost of maintenance. Additionally, DTOP officials indicated that there are no projections for number of users or potential tourism revenue generated by the project.

Surfrider and other members of the community will continue to implore DTOP to make the additional changes necessary to improve the plan and minimize the impact it will have on our local environment. The elimination of seawalls is a priority as coastal armoring will inevitably result in beach loss.

The meeting was attended by:

José E. Hernández Borges – ACT Executive Director
Thelma Valenzuela Sanchez – ACT/DTOP Oficina de Patrimonio Cultural
Julio C. Rodriguez – ACT Oficina de Estudios Ambientales
Dennisse Luciano Collazo – ACT Construcción Región Oeste
Felix Rodriguez Soto – FHWA
Eugenio Fernandez – EFE Arquitectos (Architect)
José L. Torres – FHWA
Jorge A. Ramos Vélez – ACT Región Oeste
Daisy Ramos Pitre - DTOP Oficina Ing. y Agrimensura
Edwin Rivera Malavé - DTOP Oficina Ing. y Agrimensura
Annette Blasini – Surfrider Foundation
Leon Richter – Surfrider Foundation