On Feb. 24, the American Institute of Architects, East Bay (AIA) hosted a town-hall forum to discuss the question of improved bicycle and pedestrian connections between Alameda and downtown Oakland. Today only a narrow walkway through the Posey Tube serves that purpose.

The forum's four panelists agreed that a creative solution to the problem facing cyclists and pedestrians could benefit cities on both sides of the Estuary.

"A bridge seems an obvious solution," said panelist John Eddy a consultant with the engineering firm ARUP. "Walking over the narrow estuary from Alameda to Oakland would take only five minutes." However, the U.S. Coast Guard headquarters is located near the potential bridge site. Because the Coast Guard would need to get its cutters under the bridge into San Francisco Bay, a 16-story-tall bridge would be required.

Many of the 90 Oakland and Alameda residents at the forum felt the best solution was to move the Coast Guard headquarters to a more accessible location on San Francisco Bay. One possibility might be Alameda Point.

"With the Coast Guard having increased responsibility for homeland security, relocating the base could be a win-win," the AIA press release said. Members of the panel felt that the Coast Guard could respond more quickly to a national security threat from Alameda Point than from Coast Guard Island. A Coast Guard move to the Point would allow a less-expensive and lower bridge to be built across the Estuary.

The panel also discussed a water taxi to shuttle pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists across the Estuary instead of a bridge. The water-taxi idea won support from panelist Jeff Cambra from BikeAlameda. Cambra showed the forum a DVD of his own bike trip through the Posey Tube. The trip included his having to hold his bicycle over the walkway railing and dangle it above the roadway below so an oncoming cyclist could pass.

Oakland City Councilmember Patricia Kernighan, whose district includes Chinatown, told the forum that Chinatown residents want a solution that does not increase vehicle traffic in the Posey or Webster tubes.