Hillsborough

Part of Peninsula Thruway ‘Unsafe,' Engineer Says. Hillsborough Disagrees.

A geotechnical engineer the couple hired says a portion of Ralston Avenue is “an imminent threat to the public safety," something Hillsborough disputes.

NBC Universal, Inc.

A single bridge serves as the only entrance to Joe Pfeister and Maricar Pacquin’s Hillsborough home.

Under the bridge is a large retaining way that helps hold up foundation along Ralston Avenue. The wall collapsed in 2021, but recently Pfeister reached out the Investigative Unit with his concerns that the Town of Hillsborough is unfairly relying on private homeowners to foot what he believes are public infrastructure repairs costs, which the town disputes.

Pfeister says the lack of action over the past year in and around his property - especially with the recent storms – have led to more damage to the foundation alongside Ralston Avenue.

Fallen retaining wall.

Ralston Avenue is a public thruway on the Peninsula, serving as a roadway for large trucks, emergency vehicles and parents driving children to multiple schools about a half mile away from the home’s location.

In January, a geotechnical engineer the couple hired determined, “As with the bridge, the road is an unsafe condition and could allow traffic to topple into the creek channel.”  The engineer added, “the stabilization of the bridge and adjacent roadway [Ralston Avenue] is an imminent threat to the public safety…and represents an emergency repair situation.”

January 2023 geotechnical evaluation from an engineer the couple hired.

This is a determination town officials have disagreed with. Hillsborough’s City Manager Ann Ritzma told the couple in a February letter, “We also independently verified that the damage to the retaining wall is not placing Ralston Avenue in danger at this time.”

“It's terrifying, right? Like we every time the storm comes through, we see more and more of the road. We see more and more of the foundation to our bridge disappear,” said Pfeister. “When this problem started, we got some estimates. They thought it was going to be around $250,000. But the recent estimates actually have gone up to over a million…It's something that literally will bankrupt us.”

Pfeister and his wife believe the retaining wall and the related issues should be covered by the town because they say the wall predates any construction on their property. However, town officials have told them the bridge and their wall are the homeowners’ responsibility.

In that same February letter to the couple, Riztma said the Town of Hillsborough has

NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit reached out to town officials multiple times. The only response our news team received was an email from Ritzma saying “The City Council met [Tuesday].  They gave direction to legal counsel to contact the homeowners legal counsel.”

Town letter to Joe Pfeister and Maricar Pacquin.

“It’s shocking to me that the town is trying to push these problems back on the homeowners,” said Pfeister. “Their own poor record keeping allows them to kind of go hands off and stonewall the whole situation.”

Pfeister and Pacquin are far from the only homeowners desperate for financial help after storms pummeled the Bay Area and the state. According to FEMA, as of March 22, it’s approved 6,981 California storm disaster applications and $35,006,189 in individual and household assistance. This relief was enabled by President Joe Biden’s major disaster declaration early this year.

But you’re only eligible if the damage was caused by the late December and January storms, and the deadline to apply was March 16. FEMA says it’s currently evaluation February and March storm damage to see if additional relief will be provided.

Pfeister and his wife are appealing FEMA’s denial of their application. The agency said the home is safe to occupy. They say that’s incorrect because their family can’t get to their home without crossing a compromised bridge and crumbling foundation along Ralston Avenue.

“We wake up literally everyday for the last year and a half worried about what’s going to happen. Worried about how do we even stay here. Worried about what to do with our kids, how do we get them to finish school.

Family photo.

After Hillsborough yellow-tagged he bridge to their home, the family says they were forced to take their sons out of the school district and move out of Hillsborough where, according to Redfin, the median home price is $4.7 million. They are currently renting a home outside of the Bay Area.

Hillsborough officials have not responded to our inquiries about the family’s situation or safety concerns relating to Ralston Avenue.

Contact Us