Project Details

Project Name

Project Location

Project Description

After many fits and starts and years “on the drawing board”, Green Valley Consulting Engineers’ construction management and inspection team made this $6 million dollar public safety project a reality after two decades of planning. Traffic and safety issues have always been a concern along the 2-mile stretch of Highway 12 within “the Springs” area of Sonoma County. It is the most heavily traveled pedestrian corridor in the county, serving as the primary method of daily transportation for the 11,000 Springs residents – including families and school children. With no sidewalks, mothers with strollers were forced to dodge cars and children laden with books navigated potholes on dirt shoulders. The project brought safety to the Springs and paved the way for future improvements which will help transform this community into one that is vibrant and sustainable. Improvements included roadway widening to accommodate a protected center turn lane, the installation of curbs and gutters to channel runoff to a new, more effective storm drain system, biological stormwater treatment devices, ornamental street lighting, and most importantly, concrete sidewalks and bike lanes to separate pedestrians from the vehicular roadway.

Construction challenges were many and required creative thinking and coordination with the entire project team. Keeping the project moving required fast, cost-effective, and almost daily field engineering; looking head and preempting contract change orders (from field redesigns); working with adjacent businesses to navigate loss of on-street parking, driveway disruptions, and the reduction of overall property area; circumventing a months-long PG&E delay to reposition unanticipated gas mains and services; all-night paving; coordinating with Caltrans on a number of construction related items.