As we prepared for 2026, Mother Nature certainly got our attention! Walking on what seemed like a beautiful day for a walk, my phone alerted me with a Tornado Warning to take cover. A year ago, I would have rolled my eyes at a Tornado Warning in Scotts Valley. Having a tornado hit Scotts Valley last December, I looked for safe locations I could move to and appreciated the warning. Although areas in Santa Cruz, including the Harbor, suffered much damage from high winds, our community escaped damage from this incident.
However, winter started with heavy rainfall, which led to an embankment near north Scotts Valley city limits sliding into the creek below. Both a bike lane and traffic lane were also undermined. Glenwood Drive serves a large population north of Scotts Valley. City staff worked quickly to avoid further erosion and restore a safe roadway for the public.
Due to this emergency, the City Council took action to enable fast-track contracting. Council also declared an emergency due to the financial impact of the repair, now estimated at $500,000. City staff are working with state and federal representatives to seek financial reimbursement for a portion of this cost.
No sooner than City staff began making progress on the embankment slide in early January, a large sinkhole opened at the corner of Scotts Valley Drive and Granite Creek Overpass. This area is also adjacent to the southbound exit from Highway 17.
A Scotts Valley Water District waterline, Caltrans signal control equipment and the City’s storm water culvert were all impacted, as well as the sidewalk and right turn lane being undermined. This led to the traffic signals at this major intersection failing to operate, which led to safety concerns for pedestrians and vehicles, particularly during school commute hours.
The City arranged with Caltrans to use a temporary generator for traffic lights until repairs are completed. We understand the impact of the sinkhole and necessary repairs and contracted with a team to promptly repair the sinkhole and nearby infrastructure. The City is working collaboratively with Scotts Valley Water District, which was also impacted by the sinkhole.
Even while responding to the recent emergencies, Public Works staff are also working on design and bid documents for non-emergency road work to be constructed next summer. Projects include resurfacing and restriping Scotts Valley Drive and a portion of Mount Hermon Road. Work on designing improvements to Granite Creek overpass and replacing the Granite Creek Road culvert are planned.
Public Works staff are also working with consultants on the design of a new system at the wastewater treatment plant, the City’s Wastewater Master Plan, and a wastewater and sewer rate study to help ensure long-term system reliability and financial sustainability.
For almost 20 years, residents in north Scotts Valley have hoped to see the Shugart Dog Park developed. This project had met various difficult challenges, particularly a bridge to cross the Riparian Corridor, which was finally built a few years ago with grant funding. Finally, after much work and community input, the Shugart Dog Park is moving forward.
You will see our Public Works maintenance crew filling potholes when weather allows. We know road repairs impact our daily lives, from slower commutes to inconvenient detours. We appreciate your patience as we address these emergencies and maintenance. If you see a pothole or other road hazard, please report it to pw*****@**********ey.gov so our crew can add it to their task list.
We hope you get as much satisfaction from seeing freshly paved roads and completed repairs as we do. Thank you all for your patience as we work together to repair the emergencies and accomplish the various projects initially planned.
Donna Lind is Mayor of Scotts Valley. To reach Lind, email dl***@**********ey.gov or call 831-438-4187.
