$225M provided for road safety
Projects designed to reduce traffic deaths, injuries
Caltrans announced Thursday that it is awarding more than $225 million for projects designed to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries on city and county roads. Funding is provided through the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).
“Safety is always Caltrans' top priority,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “These projects will enhance systemwide safety features, including enhancing safety for people who walk and bike, and move us closer to our vision of reaching zero fatalities and serious injuries on roadways throughout the state by 2050.”
City and county road projects approved in Caltrans District 1 include:
Mendocino County
Ukiah — Traffic signals improvements along with signal retiming, and protected left-turn phases at various intersections of State Street, Perkins Street at South Orchard Avenue, East Gobbi Street at South Orchard Avenue and Airport Park Boulevard at Talmage Road.
Willits — Install and upgrade regulatory warning signs, new dynamic speed warning signs and center and edge lines on nine roadway segments including portions of North Main Street, Sherwood Road, East Commercial Street, Mckinley Street, East San Francisco Avenue and Hazel Street.
Willits — Pedestrian safety improvements including upgrades to signal hardware, install and upgrade signs and crosswalks and pavement markings, Accessible Pedestrian Signal buttons and upgrade controllers and pedestrian signal head mounts along Main St at East San Francisco Street, West Valley Road and Commercial Street.
Mendocino County — Upgrade and replace existing guardrails and end treatments along roadway segments on East Side Potter Valley Road, Point Cabrillo Drive, Babcock Lane, Primrose Drive and Comptche-ukiah Road.
Mendocino County — Installation of advance curve warning signs, pedestrian sidewalks, pathways and crossing improvements at Branscomb Road, Kenny Creek Road, Eastside Calpella Road/marina Driveroute 20 on/off ramp, Comptche Ukiah Road/ Route 1-Mendocino Headlands State Park, Mountain View Road between Manchester and Boonville, Crawford Road, Foothill Blvd, and South State Street, Laws Avenue and Beacon Lane.
Mendocino County — Installation and upgrade of regulatory and warning signs with fluorescent sheeting and the installation of curve signs on horizontal curves, delineators, reflectors, and object markers on roadway segments along Branscomb Road, Eastside Calpella Road, North and South State Street, Sherwood Road, Comptche Ukiah Road, Simpson Lane, Vichy Springs Road, Valley Road, Mountain View Road, Pudding Creek Road, Eel River Road and Henderson Lane.
Fort Bragg — Install and upgrade larger stop signs along with intersection warning and regulatory signs, and upgrade pedestrian crossings improvements with enhanced safety features including rectangular
rapid flashing beacons at Route 20 at Boatyard Drive, Route 1 at Pine Street, Pudding Creek, at Noyo Point/harbor, and Harold at Oak.
Fort Bragg — Pedestrian safety improvements including high visibility crosswalks, bulb-outs, warning signs and ADA curb ramps at nine intersections and connecting segments on Harold Street between Fir Street and Maple Street.
Lake County
— Pedestrian crossing improvements including installing solar powered rectangular rapid flashing beacons and LED enhanced crosswalk signs, speed tables, lighting and pavement markings at 12 locations including, Upper Lake, North Lakeport, Lucerne, Lower Lake, Hidden Valley, Middletown and Kelseyville.
— Install solar powered dynamic speed warning signs at 22 locations including Soda Bay Road, Butts Canyon Road, Nicelucerne Cutoff Road, Lakeshore Boulevard, Morgan Valley Road, Sulphur Bank Drive, Bottle Rock Road, Scotts Valley Road, New Long Valley Road, Seigler Canyon Road and Spruce Grove Road.
— Robinson Rancheria Street Sign & Guardrail Replacement including new street signage with regulatory, warning and information. Upgrades to guardrails
on Acorn Drive and crosswalk improvements on Pomo Way.
Humboldt County
Eureka — Install LED stop signs, dynamic speed warning signs, curb extensions, rectangular rapid flashing beacons for pedestrians and sidewalks on Buhne Street between Fairfield and Dean Streets.
— Guardrail repair and replacement at various locations on roadways and bridges.
Willow Creek — Install a pedestrian activated flashing beacon crosswalk at the intersection of County Club Road and Terrance Road and a warning flashing sign on Country Club Road.
— Install fog lines on rural roads in Humboldt County that are utilized by the Hoopa Valley, Karuk, and Yurok Tribes.
Crescent City — Pedestrian crossing improvement projects at various locations, including sidewalks with ADA curb ramps, rectangular rapid flashing beacons, road signs, and updated pavement markings.
“While Caltrans continues to prioritize safety and sustainability on state highways, the department also recognizes the importance of the local roads connected to those highways,” said Caltrans District 1 Director Matt Brady. “We're excited to serve a role in helping to fund these improvements for counties and incorporated areas in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino and Lake Counties.”
A total of 282 projects from 155 local agencies will receive HSIP funds for safety enhancements that include pedestrian crossing enhancements, bike safety improvements and new traffic signals, roundabouts, turn lanes, rumble strips and guardrails. Caltrans awards these grants every other year to cities, counties and tribal governments.
Caltrans is using the Safe System approach — which emphasizes multiple layers of protection, including safer road designs — to achieve its goal of reducing to zero the number of fatalities and serious injuries on state roadways by 2050. Caltrans' adoption of the Safe System approach builds on its ongoing work to embed safety in the state's transportation system, and for that reason all transportation projects the department funds or oversees now must include “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking and taking transit. More information on the program is available at Caltrans' HSIP page at https:// dot.ca.gov/programs/localassistance/fed-and-stateprograms/highway-safetyimprovement-program/ approved-project-lists, including a full list of approved projects.*