Jen Tucker, SC's emergency preparedness guru, as a rule,
paints a "no worries, we've got it covered" spin to a potential
SONGS hiccup (nuke-jargon for "OMG Chet, it's happening!!!")
I've never heard her say otherwise.
And I've heard her a bunch.
But then, what's the other choice, scream, "We're All Doomed!"
Real estate honchos and chambers of commerce
so hate the doomed-scenario.
Sad but true reality: in South County's post-disaster, post meltdown,
post-radiation-plume, post evac dialogue, if we Shut SONGS Now,
the hypothetical post-nuclear holocaust preparedness mumbo jumbo
(which flies out the window anyway when the big-one hits, as chaos
reigns supreme, aka Fukushima and Chernobyl), becomes unnecessary.
That said - when counting I-5 freeway overpasses between SONGS
(San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station) and Crown Valley Pkwy,
12 or so miles to the north = 12.
1-overpass per mile.
Hmm (what goes up, can come down).
Count'em.
See what number you come up with.
There may be more, where the I-5 freeway passes over,
or under a city street, or rail line, or a creek below.
Continuing north to the 405 / I-5 interchange, at Alton Parkway:
Overs and Unders equal = 1 per mile.
18 overpasses between SONGS and the 405?
Over or under 18-times, in 18-miles.
4-years ago, in SJC, where I-5 spans Trubuco Creek,
by total accident, Caltrans engineers discovered severe
cracks in that I-5 span, and immediately retrofitted it.
I repeat - severe cracking, that was not supposed to be there.
By accident, they found it, and fixed it.
It's a safe bet, the most perfect evac-scenario conceived,
fails, if just one of the 18, I-5 weak spots / overpasses /
underpasses - collapse. Or in any way become
impassable. Then what?
Will the I-5 freeway, from Basilone Rd, to the 405, withstand an 8.0
at every elevated juncture?
Or a 7.5?
Or a 6.8?
Caltrans needs to give us the answer, quick.
Because, if even one cracks, when the big-one hits:
end of Evacuation Plan A (hello...Plan B?).
With SONGS shut for good, erases our one, big-bad negative
when the big one does hit (as predicted).
So: Plan A - Shut SONGS now (for good).
Plan B: look for cracks in I-5, end-to-end, top-to-bottom, now.
Apologies to South County's chambers of commerce and
realtors everywhere, for this unwelcome dose of
evacuation Reality.
jerry collamer
San Clemente
Ca - 92672