Community

HOPLAND – A ceremony to celebrate the completion of the first roundabout in Mendocino County, the Hopland roundabout project at the intersection of Route 175 and Old River Road, was held on Thursday, Jan. 10, at the Brutacao Schoolhouse Plaza in Hopland.

The event was well attended. Speakers included Charles C. Fielder, Caltrans District 1 director; Alan Escarda, Caltrans construction engineer; J. David Colfax, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors; Mark Graves, superintendent of North Bay Construction; and Stan Phernambucq, chief financial officer of Caltrop Corpn.

Also in attendance were representatives from United States Congressman Mike Thompson’s office, Assemblymember Patty Berg’s office, Sen. Pat Wiggins’ office, Mendocino Council of Governments, Mendocino County Transportation Department and Fetzer Vineyards.

This intersection had experienced 11 collisions during a five-year period, which is higher than the statewide average for similar intersections. Most were the result of motorists failing to negotiate the curve at the intersection of Route 175 and Old River Road. Speeding was the primary factor in over half of the collisions. There are a significant amount of left turns from Route 175 onto Old River Road. There is no left-turn pocket, so vehicles that wanted to proceed eastbound on Route 175 were required to wait for left-turning vehicles.

The traditional solution to enhance the safety at an intersection like this one would have been to add left-turn lanes and potentially, traffic signals. However, Caltrans also constructs roundabouts if they are a better solution than a traffic signal.

A roundabout was chosen because it has numerous advantages at this location, which include: a smaller footprint than a signalized intersection with left-turn lanes, so less new right-of-way was required; providing traffic calming, resulting in reduced speeds; requiring less maintenance, lower yearly operational costs, and a longer service life; providing a safe place for large trucks to safely turn around; and enhancing the roundabout with landscaping will create an aesthetic gateway to the community.

For more information on the advantages of roundabouts, and how to navigate them, see www.dot.ca.gov/dist1/d1projects/roundabout.htm.

 

 

 

 

 

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LAKE COUNTY – As part of the United Way Community Impact Agenda, United Way of Sonoma-Mendocino-Lake is requesting funding proposals from all agencies in Sonoma, Mendocino, and Lake Counties providing services in our four Focused Funding areas:

• After-school and summer programs focused on youth in grades four through eight;

• Parenting and social-skills training for parents;

• Emergency food and shelter, transitional and permanent supportive housing programs; and

• Senior food and mental-health programs.

Applications are available on Jan. 15, with the submission deadline set for Feb. 25.

Please contact Chanda Zirkelbach, vice president of Community Impact, at 707-528-4485, Extension 110 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information and to learn how to access our online-application Web site.

There will be an applicant orientation on Feb. 1 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Rosa Transit Department Training Room 103, located at 45 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa.

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NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– A T & T of Walnut Creek has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work at the junction of Route 20/29 beginning Friday, Jan. 11. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175

– P G & E of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work near Putah Creek Bridge on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 20

– A highway widening project from South Harbor Drive to Gravel Pit Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, weather permitting. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– A curve realignment project from 0.3 miles east of Three Chop Road to 0.5 miles west of Two Rock Lookout will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – North Bay Construction of Petaluma.

– A T & T of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for pavement repair from 1.3 to 2.3 miles east of Two Rock Lookout on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– A T & T of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for pavement repair from 0.2 to 1.1 miles west of Broaddus Creek Bridge on Tuesday, Jan. 15. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– City of Willits has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for pavement repair 0.4 miles west of Willits Cemetery Road on Monday, Jan. 14. Work hours are 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– A T & T of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for pavement repair 0.3 to 0.1 miles west of Willits Cemetery Road on Monday, Jan. 14. Work hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– A highway rehabilitation project from Road A to Marina Drive will continue. Work hours are 7 p.m. to 1 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

Highway 101

– A pavement repair project from 0.1 miles north to 1.5 miles north of Comminsky Station Road will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Roadway repair due to pavement deterioration, from 3.6 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road to 1.9 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Laytonville County Water District has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to move a water line from 0.9 miles south of Harwood Road to 0.5 miles north of Branscomb Road. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Verizon of Manteca has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to replace utility poles 0.4 miles north of Spy Rock Road beginning Friday, Jan. 11. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Construction of a retaining wall near Confusion Hill will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – MCM Construction of North Highlands.

Highway 162

– Covelo Community Services District has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work from 0.2 miles east of Grist Creek Bridge to Howard Street. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 253

– A slide removal project from Anderson Creek Bridge to Singley Cattlepass will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Steve Manning Construction of Redding.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

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