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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 16 april 2019

San Francisco eyes charge to drive its famed Lombard Street

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ tors have a good experi-
Associated Press ence.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — “It’s a pilot program but it’s
Thousands of tourists could something we must try to
soon have to pay as much address the traffic conges-
as $10 to drive down world- tion,” Stefani said.
famous Lombard Street in Vida Bhatt, a tourist from
San Francisco. Melbourne, Australia, said
City and state officials on she and her family drove
Monday announced a bill down the crooked street,
that would give San Fran- parked their car, then de-
cisco the authority to es- cided to go back and ex-
tablish a toll and reserva- plore the thoroughfare on
tion system for the street foot.
that winds down a steep “It’s so beautiful! I haven’t
hill, in an effort to reduce seen anything like this any-
crowds and traffic conges- where else in the world,”
tion. Bhatt said.
“We must implement a sys- Bhatt said she would hap-
tem that enables both resi- pily pay to have the experi-
dents and visitors to enjoy ence of driving down Lom-
the ‘Crookedest Street in Cars wind their way down Lombard Street in San Francisco, Monday, April 15, 2019. bard Street.
the World,’” said Assembly- Associated Press “This is one of the top at-
man Phil Ting, a San Fran- estimated 6,000 people a San Francisco transporta- what to charge and how tractions in San Francisco
cisco Democrat who au- day visit the 600-foot-long tion officials have proposed to use the funds. The new and I’m coming from so far
thored the legislation. (183-meter) street, creating requiring visitors to make a toll system is not expected in the world, I would pay
Residents say the scenic lines of cars that stretch for reservation online and pay to be in place before 2020, and make sure I got to see
thoroughfare feels more blocks, clogging the Rus- $5 for each vehicle. Anoth- officials said. it,” she said.
like an overcrowded sian Hill neighborhood. er plan calls for online res- Supervisor Catherine Ste- Residents built the hairpin
amusement park than a “The cars really impact the ervations and a $10 charge fani said the fee would help turns on the red brick road
neighborhood street. They neighborhood because on weekends and holidays. sustain the reservations sys- in 1922 because its 27-de-
have been calling for years they line up, they back up, The city needs state ap- tem and help pay for more gree grade was too steep
for officials to address the they are sitting idling,” said proval to charge people traffic control officers, more for the era’s cars to climb.
traffic jams, trash and tres- Greg Brundage, president to use a public road but police patrols in the area Neighbors added lush gar-
passing by visitors. of the Lombard Hill Im- it would be up to city offi- and tourism ambassadors dens filled with hydrangeas
In the summer months, an provement Association. cials to determine how and who would make sure visi- and roses 30 years later.q

Judge sends Canadian to U.S.

prison for risky tunnel scheme

By ED WHITE Detroit side of the tunnel.
Associated Press The 1.6-mile (2.5-kilometer) tunnel is used
DETROIT (AP) — A Canadian cab driver by cargo trains moving between Ontario,
who made extra money by steering des- Canada, and the United States. Assistant
perate immigrants to a railroad tunnel un- U.S. Attorney Susan Fairchild said it’s risky:
der the Detroit River was sentenced Mon- A walkway is only 17 inches (43.1 centime-
day to 16 months in a U.S. prison. ters) wide and in poor condition.
Juan Garcia-Jimenez, a 53-year-old Cana- “They just walked right through the tunnel,
dian citizen who is a native of Guatemala, which is a very dangerous thing,” said Kris
wept in federal court. Besides a prison sen- Grogan, a spokesman for U.S. Customs
tence, he was fined $8,680— the amount and Border Protection. “There is zero room. In this Aug. 25, 2018 photo provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office
paid by six people who were caught last If a train would have come through there in Detroit people scramble to enter a rail tunnel under the Detroit
year when they emerged on foot on the they would have been killed.” River between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Associated Press