[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 39 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E423-E424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF STEPHEN C. LEONOUDAKIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 22, 2001

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express the gratitude of the 
residents of San Francisco for the outstanding service of Stephen C. 
Leonoudakis as he retires from the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and 
Transportation District Board of Directors. In every debate of the past 
38 years involving the Golden Gate Bridge and transportation between 
Marin and San Francisco Counties, Steve has been an unfailing advocate 
for public transit and safety. We owe him an enormous debt of thanks 
for his visionary leadership and tireless service.
  Since his appointment to the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District 
in 1962, Steve's continuous tenure on the Board has made him the 
second-longest serving Director in the District's history. He served as 
the President of the Board of Directors from 1973-1974.
  When Steve joined the Bridge District, traffic on the Bridge had 
reached unmanageable levels. Unattractive traffic control arches were 
being designed to deal with the increase in vehicles, additional 
bridges between San Francisco and Marin Counties were being considered, 
and adding a second deck to the Bridge was proposed.
  Steve offered a competing vision of what the Bridge District should 
be. Instead of moving cars, Steve was concerned with moving people. 
Because of his leadership, the law creating the District was amended to 
give the District the authority to develop a public transit system for 
the Golden Gate Corridor. Steve has since shepherded a comprehensive 
plan to decrease pressure on the Bridge that has included the revival 
of ferry service, a dramatic expansion of bus service, and may one day 
include rail service along the Corridor.
  Steve has been remarkably successful. The bus and ferry system has 
held bridge traffic to manageable levels without altering the 
breathtaking beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge on the San Francisco Bay. 
We will be further grateful for his plan long after his retirement when 
the rail right-of-ways he fought to purchase are needed to build a rail 
system for future transit relief along the Golden Gate Corridor. In 
recognition of these efforts, the American Public Transit Association 
presented him with its Local Distinguished Service Award in 1996.
  Steve has also worked consistently to increase the safety of the 
Bridge. During the 1970's and 1980's, he was a leader in the 
maintenance program that significantly upgraded portions of the Bridge 
including the rivets, suspender ropes, deck, and sidewalk. In the 
1990's, he helped oversee the campaign to seismic retrofit the Bridge 
including finding the funding for this enormous project.
  Steve has given his boundless energy and talent to serving the people 
of the San Francisco Bay Area. He has provided far-sighted leadership 
and dedicated service in an area where it was greatly needed. It is my 
honor to thank Steve on behalf of all the people who benefit daily from 
his vision. I wish him and his wife Rosemary all the best.

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