San Bruno Begins Planning Reconstruction for Neighborhood Damaged by Gas Pipeline Explosion

The San Bruno City Council is holding a public forum Wednesday to discuss how to spend millions of dollars for reconstruction projects in the Crestmoor Canyon neighborhood, which was ravaged by a PG&E gas pipeline explosion on Sept. 9, 2010.

In the wake of the fatal explosion and fire -- which killed eight people, destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and tore through the neighborhood's roads and infrastructure -- PG&E established a $50 million trust to help San Bruno cover the costs of reconstruction in the blast zone.

"I think that so far the city has done a remarkable job of dealing with the money," resident Debra Marks said. "Unfortunately, it is a slow process for any government agency and contractors."

To date, the city has committed more than $38 million of the trust to several projects, including the reinstallation of water and sewer lines, the repaving of streets, and the reconstruction of a neighborhood park, according to staff reports.

The City Council's public study session will help determine how to spend more than $11 million of the remaining funds on neighborhood-related projects.

"We need to carefully prioritize what projects can be done with the money that we have remaining," San Bruno City Manager Connie Jackson said.

Potential projects include storm drainage upgrades, tree replacement, crosswalk upgrades, slope stabilization and the replacement of a local fire station.

Residents said they want to see projects underway and completed, especially street work.

"This disaster that happened is not over by any means," Marks said.

Neighbor Gail Masunu agreed.

"I don't think any of us are really doing so good," Masunu said. "They're still working on our neighborhood and we're trying to deal with it and it's very, very hard."

Information about the projects and associated costs can be found online at the Rebuild Crestmoor website, www.rebuildcrestmoor.org.

Tuesday's meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at the San Bruno Senior Center at 1555 Crystal Springs Road.

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