Rules Committee forwards four Golden Gate Bridge District nominees to full Board

The Rules Committee forwarded four nominees for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District to the full Board on Feb. 7 after brief candidate remarks and labor endorsements.

Candidates highlighted ongoing infrastructure and safety programs. Richard Crossbaugh outlined priorities including completion of the suicide 'net' and monitoring the median barrier; Mike Theriault emphasized labor and safety perspectives and support for the suicide-barrier feasibility work; Dave Snyder focused on transit, bicycle and pedestrian access and parking at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal; and Janet Riley reviewed recent initiatives including the 75th anniversary events, a visitors pavilion, a $660 million seismic retrofit project (two-thirds complete), and a $50 million fundraising target for the suicide barrier. Riley also said the district is piloting all-electronic tolling and was in a soft-launch phase.

Union representatives — including engineers, inspectors and craft unions — testified in support of the nominees, noting the bridge and transit operations' reliance on skilled labor and the importance of board members who understand those operations. Supervisor Breed moved to forward the slate to the full Board; the committee advanced the nominations 'without objection.'

The committee also handled several related supervisor appointments to regional boards during the same meeting (see separate items): motions to reappoint Supervisors Carmen Chu (tabled), David Campos, Scott Wiener and Norman Yee to the Bridge District were also considered in committee actions.