Page 45 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2017

Our Busy Highways and Byways
Bicycles, motorhomes trailers & RV’s, logging trucks, locals & vacationers, wine tasting limousines, delivery trucks and pedestrians are all sharing our narrow (shoulder-less in most areas) rural roads and highways these mid- summer days and nights. Throw in a few ‘road cows’ and deer wandering through the traffic lanes and you have a good idea of the picturesque landscape along our coast and inland roadways.
data beyond the numbers. They asked the touring cyclists questions about demographics, how they are using the route, any potentially difficult experiences, if they could identify improvements that would help, which navigation tools they are using, and if they had any positive feedback they were willing to share.
You can always tell when there is a ‘bicycle event’ scheduled for our beautiful coastal area, as the hard-core ‘spandex and spokes’ people are out in droves trying out the routes prior to race day. The companies that offer ‘bike treks’ set packs of amateur bicyclists out into the busy traffic are also very busy these days. Drivers must plan ahead to make a mad dash around the cyclists on the winding, hilly roads; not always an easy task, often leading to close calls with oncoming traffic and the cyclists.
Other areas along the CA Coast have developed their own bike-friendly routes to help make cycling along our world-class coastline safe and enjoyable for all.
The Pacific Coast Bike Route (PCBR) is a cycling route that runs from the border with Canada to the border with Mexico.
I have long felt that we have the technology and resources available to create a biking trail along our coastal highway that would assure safe passage for bicyclists and pedestrians while providing a way to ‘underground’ the utility and communication cables that are so unsightly.
In 1976, in honor of the Nation’s Bicentennial, the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission of California and the California Department of Transportation developed the Pacific Coast Bicentennial Bike Route. The designated route through the Golden State begins at Hwy 101 at the California/ Oregon State line, and ends adjacent to Interstate 5 at the Mexican border. In the early 1990’s the California State Legislature re-designated this Route the Pacific Coast Bike Route.
Ductwork would be placed in the bicycle pathway that the phone and power companies could use. The utility companies would in essence subsidize the installation and maintenance, taking the burden off of the government. A bonus would be readily available cell service even in the most remote areas of our coast.
Cal Trans commissioned the Pacific Coast Bike Route Survey Final Report (For Cal Trans District 1). (http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist1/planning/regional- system/pcbr_survey_final_report_2015.pdf). In the summer of 2015 Caltrans District 1 Office of Transportation Planning surveyed 535 touring cyclists riding the Pacific Coast Bike Route in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. The survey had three components: An online version, a paper version, and in-person interviews. The goal of the survey was to capture
As 911 call boxes are currently being decommissioned along our Sonoma Coast (for reasons unknown) this would offer reassurances to both motorists and bicyclists in true emergency situations. Solar panels could be incorporated into the roadbed as is being done in other (more bicycle friendly) countries.
Great News! The long-awaited parking lot at the Jenner Headlands Preserve is finally under construction! Giant earth moving equipment is
busy grooming and reconfiguring the landscape for this Highway One based parking area for the 5,630 acre preserve just above the ‘River Meets the Ocean’ town of Jenner.
LEARN all about it at these two websites:
www.wildlandsconservancy.org/pdf/TWC_ JHP_PubRec_FactSheet_FINAL. pdf - and - www.wildlandsconservancy.org/preserve_jenner.html
BODEGA BAY cont’d from page 44
If anyone from the children’s class (which followed us Monday) found some gold earrings I would love to have them back (and will pay a reward). Looking forward, calendar the meet and greet the CHP is putting on Thursday, August 31 at Station 2.There is a new coast officer (David Adams)and if it is like last year there will be lots of complaints about the speeding across from the Grange (going to the Boat House for their excellent fish and chips.) We hope we are not going to lose Q (Quintin Shawk) as he has been most helpful when complaints have been made to him. It is always helpful to have a local guy when you have a sign-off ticket. Personally, I still don’t understand why they don’t ask Cal Trans to lower the speed to 25 from the community center to the entry to the park (where trailers and overloaded weekenders turn from Highway One to get to the campground. ) That is also a haven for bicyclists coming back from Occidental and is a mecca for heavy traffic going to Farmers’ Market or events at the Community Center. (It IS 25 right at the Community Center.) The only speed designation by the turn off from Highway One, is 35 ahead – a real invitation to speed up NOT slow down. Lots of wild life around now. Last week there was a doe with twin fawns (still had their spots) who walked down Westside Road. Those of us who tried to protect them but at the same time get to where we had to go were baffled by the arrogance of the doe (she must have been young-) Even the guys working on the PUD at the corner tried to get her away from the road. I finally got her to go up the hill. (She had the last laugh. When I got back from the postoffice she was right in the lot next to my house, eating all the beach peas and anything else in flower) The quail have made
a come-back. We lost our quail when one of the residents had 13 cats which were allowed to roam freely. But yesterday, we had a family with 10 little ones, sauntering down the road. I just stopped and watched, welcoming them back. Spring is a time for rejoicing and enjoying the wonderful moon, the fog that comes and goes, and the truly comfortable temperature. Pick a project that gets you out of the house.
Grab a friend, pack a little lunch, head for the beach and ENJOY. Politics notwithstanding, it IS a WONDERFUL WORLD.
The end result will be an easily accessible, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly parking area for the preserve. It should be opening in the Fall. Check out their website for artist renderings of this unique parking design, concealed from the highway in a most interesting manner.
River Mouth Opened
The Sonoma County Water Agency (http://www.scwa.ca.gov/rrifr/) in keeping with the mandate of the Russian River Biological Opinion has once again mechanically opened the sandbar at the mouth of the river. It appears that within a matter of a couple of days, the engineered opening had ‘scoured’ to the point that the Estuary was under the influence of the tidal forces.
This, once again, defeats the goal of the SCWA of somehow maintaining a fresh water estuary environment through man-made efforts. Considering that this took place during relatively low flows with little resistance from Mother Nature, it is obvious to most observers that this is a failed experiment.
Meanwhile coastal communities world-wide are making plans to deal with the inevitable rising sea levels. Time to shift our priorities to saving what little habitat is left for our endangered aquatic species.
Fishstock 2017 - Sep 3
Jenner Community Center BENEFIT 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM $5.00/Children under 12 Free
Food, drink, music and fellowship. This year's menu of BBQ'd oysters and wild caught salmon with all the fixings. Music will feature The Jennerators, Brothers Gadjo and Sonoma County's own The THUGZ. INFO 707-865-9465
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