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All information should be verified by a New Home Consultant. www.baycrossings.com BAYCROSSINGS July 2007 3 columns 10 SAILING ADVENTURES 13 Views in and along 9 the Bay guides by Scott Alumbaugh news WATERFRONT ACTIVITIES BREW REVIEW 07 16 WATERFRONT NEWS Our recreational resource guide San Rafael’s Rafters 05 Waterfront industry Grille & Brewery WTA FERRY SCHEDULES by Patrick Burnson 18 by Joel Williams Be on-time for last call AROUND THE BAY WATERFRONT 22 09 To see, be, do, know ADVENTURES Biking in the BAYCROSSINGS Headlands July 2007 Volume 8, Number 7 by Dan Sankey sponsored stories Bobby Winston, Proprietor Joel Williams, Publisher Michelle Moday, Editor FERRY NEWS CITY OF RICHMOND 11 14 Marina Bay ADVERTISING & MARKETING Golden Gate Ferry Joel Williams, Advertising & Marketing Director remodels Marin PORT OF OAKLAND - GRAPHICS & PRODUCTION 17 JACK LONDON SQUARE Francisco Arreola, Designer / Web Producer BBQ Contest in the Square ART DIRECTION Francisco Arreola; Michelle Moday green pages METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION WORKING WATERFRONT 20 COMMISSION (MTC) Patrick Burnson ECO-BUILDING Free Transit & Bay Trail Adventures COLUMNISTS 13 Joel Williams; Investing in green Scott Alumbaugh condos WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS ON OUR COVER Bill Picture; Camper English; Dan Sankey; Dennis Anderson; JB Powell; Kristen Bole; by Michelle Slade Loren Earle-Cruikshanks; Michelle Moday; Scott Hargis ACCOUNTING Cindy Henderson Letters Dear Editor, Subscribe: Thank you for linking to my Nike web site in Dan By mail: $45 / year (12 monthly issues) Sankey's article on the China Camp bike trails [June Online: www.baycrossings.com/subscribe.asp 2007]. However, I must point out that the multiple Advertising Inquiries: references to Nike "silos" on the mountain top are not (707) 556-3323, [email protected] correct. The concrete circles up there were foundations for radar antennas. The missiles were kept down below at the end of Smith Ranch Road. Bay Crossings -- Jef Poskanzer The new Bay Trail maps for the nine Bay Area counties are now Ferry Building, #22 San Francisco, CA 94111 available. This image, from the cover of the San Francisco trail www.baycrossings.com We appreciate the opportunity to publish our readers' guide, shows pedestrians and bikers near Fort Mason in typical, comments, letters or requests for corrections, which can A Division of Nematode Media, LLC early July weather conditions. See story, page 21. Photo courtesy be sent to [email protected]. of San Francisco Bay Trail Project. www.baytrail.org 4 July 2007 BAYCROSSINGS www.baycrossings.com WORKING WATERFRONT Agricultural Shippers Struggle to Compete in the Global Marketplace BY PATRICK BURNSON Friedmann said. “Generally speaking, not responded to these concerns. examining all modes – rail, truck, barge, these export shipments complicate and “Senators from farm states have urged ocean – in all regions of the nation. slow down this import fl ow.” the President to appoint STB leadership, San Francisco – Calling for dramatic Furthermore, argued Friedmann, the which will work to improve rail service, and 2. Understand how the reduction of action to avert a looming “transport transportation system now in place, is who have sponsored legislation to revise service in one mode impacts the ability crisis,” Peter Friedmann, the Agricultural designed to expedite imports, and delay existing laws which penalize “captive” rail of other modes to provide sufficient Transportation Coalition’s executive exports… a situation he says will have shippers, reliant on a particular line. and affordable service for agricultural director, urged shippers here to apply long-term consequences. It could leave The STB, which oversees the railroads products. political pressure “before it’s too late.” some places, such as small Central Valley to protect the shipping public, was not “U.S. agriculture faces a dire threat, farm towns, behind. the only agency in Friedmann’s sights. 3. Quantify the dollar impact of these losing domestic and global market share, “While the four Class I national He insisted that it’s now time to draft a transportation defi ciencies on sales and profi t margin and international sales,” he railroads are hauling more cargo than “national transportation white paper.” competitiveness of agricultural products said. “Simply put, U.S. agriculture can ever before, the volume growth is in the “We must address the transport system and jobs. compete with anyone in producing and containerized consumer goods imported as it impacts agriculture – all modes of processing, but domestic transportation from Asia,” he said. “This intermodal carriage in all regions of the country,” 4. Provide an inventory of possible barriers are increasingly hindering our cargo is offl oaded at West Coast ports, Friedmann declared and says that four improvements or solutions. Set fourth efforts to sell competitively in the global and railed straight through, non-stop, to specifi c points should be looked at: a realistic agenda of steps that the U.S. marketplace.” Chicago, St. Louis, or all the way across government and our private sector Shippers attending the AgTC’s annual to the East Coast metropolitan areas.” 1. Inventory the challenges facing U.S. can take to improve the domestic and two-day conference here had heard it This inbound intermodal move agriculture exporters (and importers), international transport system. before, but the tenor this time was far has become the “foundation” of ocean more strident. and rail carrier’s business model, added “Dramatic changes in the balance of Friedmann. The problem gets worse import versus export trade over the past when carriers by-pass inland load points, decade have created confl icting agendas where agriculture is produced, in a race with our international and domestic to get empty boxes readied for outbound transportation system is increasingly deployment. SAN FRANCISCO BAY unable to serve,” said Friedmann. “The result is the growing inability Drydocking and Repair He noted that freight intermediaries for U.S. ag shippers to gain timely and are importing ever growing volumes affordable access to our seaports,” he of high value, time sensitive consumer said. “This situation reduces already electronic products from Asia (cell thin margins, and all too frequently phones; MP3 players, laptops, etc…), creates delays and increases the transport which move into centralized “mega” costs to a level which forces purchasers distribution centers in the most densely to look at other countries such as populated areas of the country. Argentina, Australia and Brazil for “On the other hand, we are exporting goods.” And, despite numerous petitions relatively lower valued agricultural by ag shippers, Friedmann says the products from diverse rural locations,” Surface Transportation Board (STB) has New 1200 Ton Syncrolift® • 2800 Ton Drydock Contact: Mike Anderson 2900 Main Street, #2100 • Alameda, CA 94501 www.bay-ship.com Phone: 510-337-9122 • E-mail: [email protected] www.baycrossings.com BAYCROSSINGS July 2007 5 WORKING WATERFRONT Stuck in the Slow Lane? It’s Time to Change Lanes BY IVY MORRISON “Cash payers will have fewer plaza confi guration at the Golden Gate lanes at the toll plazas.