Constant Sideshows At Former Naval Air Station Irk Alameda Residents; Now On City Council Agenda
ALAMEDA (KPIX 5) -- The Alameda City Council will discuss an issue that has troubled several Bay Area cities in recent months. Sideshows have become routine at the retired naval air station. Many residents would like to see some changes.
"We can sit on our back deck every Friday or Saturday night and hear the engines going," said Ann Haslup. "It's like, 'Is it Indy 500 out on the point?'"
The tire tracks tell the story on the point, but the real concern among residents on the west end of the island is how those cars are coming and going.
"There's definitive racing that goes on, on a regular basis," said Haslup. "Along the main streets, I'm a little bit better if it's not on the point, it is quite noisy. They do it late at night."
"It's more than an annoyance, it's potentially dangerous to our residence and those who use our streets," says Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft.
Amid a roar of complaints, Alameda's leadership will discuss the issue tonight. The mayor says some message needs to be sent to those who are flying through Alameda.
"Don't come speeding down these streets," said Ashcraft. "People live in Alameda point, and more are going to be coming because we are building new housing."
"We have 200 homeless families living out here," said Doug Biggs of the Alameda Point Collaborative. "And at every one of those intersections you'll see where people have, done circles and drove on."
Biggs, like everyone out here, says he enjoys the way this area allows room for people to do any number of things. But he says there need to be limits.
"It's just the access and egress control," said Biggs.
"We have all the space on the island," said Haslup. "The thing is we need to respect it."
