Many people have raised questions about how government bodies decide which road to pave, especially when the street in front of their home is riddled with potholes and patchwork.
At the Sept. 13 Springs Municipal Advisory Council meeting, Janice Thomson, deputy director at Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (formerly Transportation and Public Works) explained the process, while highlighting which roads will get a refresh in Sonoma Valley in the coming months.
According to Thompson, roadwork is determined by the Pavement Preservation Program, which operates on a two-year cycle but is approved annually by the board of supervisors. This program covers the Valley’s unincorporated areas, as the city of Sonoma oversees its own road maintenance.
County roads are inspected every two years. The results are entered into a statewide data bank that tracks road conditions. The program uses an algorithm to create a priority list and provides the proper treatment for each road in the database.
The pavement program is covered by the county’s General Fund, amounting to about $20 million for the whole county, with roughly $4 million allocated for District 1, which includes the Valley.
The roads slated for new pavement in the 2024 to 2025 plan are:
Public Infrastructure also conducts community outreach to seek input on local roads. Additionally, the county considers its long-term road plan, which includes data such as how often a road is used and was approved by the board of supervisors in 2014.
When it comes to major safety improvements, the department works more slowly. For example, improvements have been planned for intersections along Highway 12 as well as Waterman Avenue, Sierra Drive, Central Avenue and Encinas Lane. This includes enhanced crosswalks and should be completed within the next two years.
“I know that sounds awful, but that’s the timeframe we work within,” Thompson said.
Public Infrastructure is also working to secure funding for an improvement project in the Donald Street Gap on Highway 12 between Encinas Lane and Harley Street. This could include adding pedestrian bridges on both sides of the Agua Caliente Creek trail and fixing uneven sidewalks. That project is estimated to cost around $4 million, and is scheduled for 2027.
At Thompson’s request, the Springs MAC signed a letter of support for the Donald Street Gap roadwork, which will be used to seek a state grant through the Reconnecting Community and Neighborhoods program.
You can reach Staff Writer Rebecca Wolff at rebecca.wolff@sonomanews.com. On Twitter @bexwolff.
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