Caltrans will sit down with both of the valley’s advisory councils on Sept. 9 to talk about Highway 12. Questions are due in advance by Aug. 26.
The Springs and North Sonoma Valley Municipal Advisory Councils will hold a joint meeting with Caltrans on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 6:30 p.m., at the East Sonoma County Service Center, 19080 Lomita Avenue, Sonoma. The subject is Highway 12 through Kenwood, Glen Ellen, the Springs and the rest of the valley.
The county’s notice says Caltrans will discuss current and planned safety improvements, including bicycle and pedestrian safety, crossings, accessibility, traffic speeds, roadway maintenance and next steps. It is also the first time in memory that the state agency that owns the road has come to the valley’s own councils to take questions on it.
The county asks for questions and concerns in advance, by Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m., to [email protected]. Questions sent by then go on the agenda. A question asked from the floor on the night gets less preparation. If you have a crossing, a speed, a shoulder or a stretch of pavement in mind, write it down and send it before the deadline.
Those who cannot attend in person can join by Zoom webinar: meeting link, meeting ID 881 3081 0234, passcode 212511.
Highway 12 is the valley’s main through road and its most argued-over piece of infrastructure, a state highway that doubles as a village main street, with crossings that residents have questioned for years. Last month this paper reported on the crosswalks at Kenwood Plaza Park. They are a county matter rather than a Caltrans one, but the crossing habits, speeds and sight lines that make them dangerous are the same on the highway a block away. The meeting is on the Social Calendar, and the Wag will report what Caltrans says.
Source: the county’s public meeting notice, received Aug. 16.