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Parallel road to Highway 29 in AmCan proposed to relive traffic woes
Sales tax could bring money to widen highway
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1 p.m.A parallel road to Highway 29 in American Canyon is the cheapest way to get the most cars through Napa’s fastest growing city, a city representative told a group of elected officials from around Napa County .
Paul Miller, a city traffic consultant with Omni-Means of Roseville, told the Napa County Transportation and Planning board Wednesday that in addition to the need to extend Newell Drive, Highway 29 has to be widened o four lanes in each direction.
Paul Miller, a city traffic consultant with Omni-Means of Roseville, told the Napa County Transportation and Planning board Wednesday that in addition to the need to extend Newell Drive, Highway 29 has to be widened o four lanes in each direction.
The city determined the best strategy is to build a road parallel to Highway 29 first, said American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez after the NCTPA meeting. Eventually, Highway 29 will have to be widened.
Miller said the extension of Newell Drive through the future Town Center, a 100-acre commercial and residential development, is estimated at $57 million. Once built, the road will carry an additional 36,000 vehicles per day. Newell would then connect to Green Island Road and Devlin Road on the westside of Highway 29.
Miller said the extension of Newell Drive through the future Town Center, a 100-acre commercial and residential development, is estimated at $57 million. Once built, the road will carry an additional 36,000 vehicles per day. Newell would then connect to Green Island Road and Devlin Road on the westside of Highway 29.
By comparison, widening of Highway 29 from two to four lanes in each direction, a project estimated at $67 million, will only allow an additional 18,000 vehicles per day, Omni-Means’ study showed.
The extension of Newell Drive gives the city the best bang for the buck, said American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia late last week.
The extension of Newell Drive gives the city the best bang for the buck, said American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia late last week.
City officials hope the countywide transportation sales tax under discussion at NCTPA can help fund the Newell Drive extension project. The half-cent sales tax would raise $300 million over 30 years, NCTPA Executive Director Jim Leddy said last week.
About 70 percent of the money would be spent on local projects and the rest on transportation and high-priority projects, according to the conceptual plan that’s moving forward, Leddy explained.
Ramirez said up the city hopes up to 60 percent of the cost of the project could be paid with proceeds from the transportation sales tax.
After all, city officials stress, 85 percent of the 50,000 cars and trucks that travel on Highway 29 every day is pass-thru traffic.
“This is a regional problem that requires a regional solution,” Ramirez said.
The future American Canyon High School, scheduled to open at 2010, is scheduled to break ground later this month near the Newell Drive and American Canyon Road intersection. The city’s first high school will be designed for 2,200 students.
“I think it’s something that will benefit the school in terms of traffic flow,” said Don Evans, school planning and construction director for the Napa Valley Unified School District, referring to the extension of Newell Drive.
About 70 percent of the money would be spent on local projects and the rest on transportation and high-priority projects, according to the conceptual plan that’s moving forward, Leddy explained.
Ramirez said up the city hopes up to 60 percent of the cost of the project could be paid with proceeds from the transportation sales tax.
After all, city officials stress, 85 percent of the 50,000 cars and trucks that travel on Highway 29 every day is pass-thru traffic.
“This is a regional problem that requires a regional solution,” Ramirez said.
The future American Canyon High School, scheduled to open at 2010, is scheduled to break ground later this month near the Newell Drive and American Canyon Road intersection. The city’s first high school will be designed for 2,200 students.
“I think it’s something that will benefit the school in terms of traffic flow,” said Don Evans, school planning and construction director for the Napa Valley Unified School District, referring to the extension of Newell Drive.
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SouthNapa wrote on May 5, 2008 2:24 PM:
If the 1/2 cent sales tax is used for the right reasons, I am all for it. I think those that consistently strike down transportation taxes have no clue to how bad it has gotten along the 29 corridor between Napa and Vallejo, not to mention Jameson Canyon Rd.
Napans who don't travel outside of town need to wake up and realize that the roads can't accommodate the traffic, and something must be done to fix it. It's time to stop finger pointing and pass the tax and get things moving again! "
kingsavage wrote on May 5, 2008 6:59 PM:
LMW wrote on May 5, 2008 9:48 PM:
AREYOUSERIOUS wrote on May 6, 2008 3:06 AM:
nicely put my frined.
And besides, AmCan wanted to be the biggest "city" in this county; now let them deal with the traffic that comes with it.
sheesh 4 stop lights in less than 200 yards; and now a road to run "parellel" to 29?
are you serious? "
Gabriel wrote on May 6, 2008 6:50 AM:
Just Concerned wrote on May 6, 2008 9:37 AM:
robertdba wrote on May 6, 2008 10:42 AM:
You can blame Amcan for building up it's town but not for the traffic problems that are coming through to get to your town and out of your town.
Extending the Flosden road upto Green Island is a perfect fix. The safety of the kids through the area is still the same as the hundreds of kids that walk through the area now to get the elementary school already there. You poepl that make these comments need to know what you talking about.
Like others here, sure lets build a road before we know we need it. How do you set there and say build these roads or widen a road even if the people never come. City can't afford to do that. You need to get a clue. "
realitybites wrote on May 6, 2008 11:43 AM:
Let's just tax the citizens in order to solve the problem created by greedy developers.
Vote Yes on N "
kingsavage wrote on May 6, 2008 2:10 PM:
musikluvr wrote on May 7, 2008 4:53 PM:
robertdba wrote on May 7, 2008 5:05 PM:
Typical response in that you expect a road to widen when the demand was not there at the time. Yes it would eventually bring people and money and when that money comes it can go toward the cost. But you think that city build all the infostruture before the business and people come. Yes you see that happen everyday in every city across this country. You have no clue what it takes financially and economically to be able to pay for that. It guess it should have been paid for by the few business that exist before that time. The city was so flush with the funds. The city should not be the only one to pay for it and that has been the argument all alone. But the arrogants of the rest of the county is to blame only AmCan and yet not take part in the blame and the cost as it should be. If you are going to argue this case get some real facts and not something you dream up in your head. "