The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission this month selected 16 projects to receive $7 million in local shares of federal transportation funds.
The commission had received requests for $13.7 million for 22 projects.The allocated money includes more than $1.6 million for road repairs in Scotts Valley and Ben Lomond, plus funds to include Vine Hill Elementary in Scotts Valley and Boulder Creek Elementary in a list of schools for “Walk Smart” pedestrian safety classes for schoolchildren.
Due to the volatility of gas tax revenues, delays in adoption of the federal transportation act, and the unreliability of State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds, this was the first time the commission has programmed funds for new projects since 2013.
A half-mile section of Glen Arbor Road in Ben Lomond from Highway 9 to Quail Hollow Road will be repaved, including drainage improvements, at a cost of $400,000. More than 7,700 vehicles travel on Glen Arbor Road every day.
In the Scotts Valley area, 1.85 miles of Granite Creek Road east from the Scotts Valley city limits will be repaved at a cost of $500,000. Planners said this should extend the life of this stretch of road, which serves approximately 4,250 vehicles per day.
In the City of Scotts Valley, Glen Canyon Road will be repaved, and bike lanes added, for $711,000. Transportation planners said this should the improvements should assist commuters, students, and recreational bikers. The project could be expanded to include Green Hills Road if county transportation funds are added to this route, which carries approximately 8,950 vehicles per day.
The plans approved allocate $240,000 for peak period tow trucks on Highways 1 and 17, to patrol these highways and assist disabled vehicles, remove damage vehicles more efficiently to ease traffic congestion and reduce the likelihood of secondary collisions.
In a statement, the commission noted that “the region’s proportional share of federal and state revenues continues to fall severely short of what is required to address the backlog of infrastructure repairs, safety, traffic congestion, bicycle and pedestrian projects that have been identified as priorities by the community.”
The commission said Measure D – a countywide November ballot measure to add a half-cent sales tax for transportation projects – would bring in an additional $500 million for priority local transportation projects such as fixing potholes, improving traffic flow on Highway 1, expanding safe routes to school and other bicycle and pedestrian projects, and maintaining transportation services for seniors and people with disabilities.
The commission also allocated $500,000 to replace one 18-year-old diesel bus with a clean-burning natural gas bus.
