Submitted Photo
Members of various organizations involved in the Highway 12 improvement project broke ground during a ceremony on Monday, Oct. 20. From left to right; Tom O’Kane representing county public works, Kathleen Kane of theCommunity Development Comission, Eric Schen of CalTrans, Rich Lee and Steve Cox of the Springs Redevelopment Advisory Committee, Supervisor Valerie Brown and Larry McDowell, project manager with PG&E.
With speeches, applause and carbonated apple juice – not to mention five gold-painted shovels – the long-awaited Springs renovation project broke ground Monday morning at the corner of Highway 12 and East Thomson Avenue.
“After 24 years, what we thought was the first big step is finally a reality,” said Kathleen Kane, executive director of the Sonoma County Development Commission.
Kane was one of five speakers during the 11 a.m. ceremony, which drew a crowd of roughly 50 people to the Thomson Park & Ride lot. Representatives from Caltrans, the county public works department and the Springs Redevelopment Advisory Committee (RAC) spoke about the multi-agency partnership that made the project possible.
The project’s nearly $2.5 million first phase will widen Highway 12 and install sidewalks, lights, a bike lane and underground utilities between Boyes Boulevard and Encinas Lane. Actual construction is expected to begin within a month along the east side of the stretch; once that’s completed, work will start on the west side. The first phase is expected to be completed next spring.
Designs for the second stage, between Boyes Boulevard and Agua Caliente Road, are currently under way, with construction estimated to begin in 2010.
Sonoma County First District Supervisor Valerie Brown acknowledged that the project had taken a long time to coordinate, saying the hardest part was soon to come.
“This is going to be the largest inconvenience along Highway 12 ever,” Brown said, asking the public to “just bear with us on this.” She added, “When you see this in its entirety, you’ll know what took so long.”
County public works representative Tom O’Kane thanked those present, saying that the agency is still working on whole or partial acquisition of 70 roadside parcels for the project’s second phase. He said residents and other interested parties could check construction progress by calling his department at 707.565.2231.
Next up was local Caltrans division chief Doanh Nguyen, who echoed Brown’s comments about “dust, mess, noise and alternative access,” but stressed that the situation would be temporary. “Keep this in mind as you experience the inconveniences,” he said.
RAC vice chair Stephen Cox reminded everyone that the project is “not just sidewalks, but the first step in realizing the community’s vision of having safe pedestrian access.”
Cox made special note of the role played by fourth- and fifth-grade students at Flowery and El Verano elementary schools – “the future leaders of this community” – who sent a spate of letters to state and county officials asking for safer streets. “We listened, and we’re getting started on this project,” he said. “They made a difference.”
