Re: Highway 70 Project

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, around 7:50 p.m., a 70-year-old North Highlands resident was killed in a four-car accident on Highway 70 north of Marysville that closed the road for several hours. It was reported that a 2001 GMC crossed into the northbound lane south of Sparrow Lane, which is the section of Highway 70 north of Ramirez Road and the Yuba/ Butte County line.

Furthermore, alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the tragic accident. Simply put, there is no room for error on Highway 70.

I recognize and appreciate Caltrans having scheduled a safety project to add a center turn lane and 8-foot shoulders. This is greatly appreciated and is a first step. However, Caltrans needs about $32 million to widen the highway to give us 5 lanes. This would be two lanes in each direction and the center turn lane. Why not fix it once and fix it right? Highway 70 north of us from the Yuba/ Butte County line to Oroville will be widened to 5 lanes.

Not all may be in favor and may think widening will increase traffic or make matters worse. All I can do is to base my opinion on personal testimony from friends who own property south of Yuba City. Remember how they would call south of Yuba City to Sacramento “Blood Alley?” Since Caltrans widened Highway 99, my friends have told me it has made it much safer to pull into their home and pull out onto the highway. In fact, since the widening, there have been no head on collisions or fatalities like before.

Accidents along these rural two-lane highways have not and will not stop. I strongly encourage the public to support efforts to widen SR 70 and address these safety concerns. We need to all look at the greater good for the entire north state and support Caltrans’ efforts to fix it once, and fix it right. This is not a city of Marysville problem, Yuba County problem or even Caltrans – it’s all of ours. We all use it, our friends, family, children, neighbors, it belongs to all of us. We’ve seen too many accidents, have witnessed way too many near misses and know the problem is not going to go away. We need five lanes.

Thank you, Caltrans, for the $104 million for the safety project, however, we all need to collectively, work together and identify a solution to bring five lanes to Highway 70 once and for all. The public can directly email Caltrans’ project manager, Cameron Knudson, at camreon. knudson@dot.ca.gov. Support for the project can also be emailed to the Sacramento Area Association of Governments (SACOG) at jcorless@sacog.org.

Lastly, on behalf of the city of Marysville, I again want to express my sincerest condolences to family of the gentleman who lost his life last Tuesday and to the families and friends of all who have perished along the corridor. Words cannot express our community’s sorrow. Please know that we will all work together to address what is needed.

Ricky A. Samayoa