By Craig S. Harrison, President, Save Our Sonoma Roads

Ghilotti began upgrading a 1.2-mile section of Sonoma Mountain Road between Sonoma Ridge Lane and Mountain Meadow Lane early this month, and the work is now complete. The cost for the $700,000 project is paid for by PG&E settlement funds with the county for the 2017 fires.

The treatment is full depth reclamation, which is an outstanding means of restoring this highly distressed road. Full depth reclamation involves pulverizing the existing pavement and road base, mixing in cement on site, compacting the road base, and paving a new asphalt surface. This process minimizes the length of time the road is closed and reuses the old road material, thereby limiting the amount of new material needed as well as disposing of old material in the landfill.

In 2014 a county consultant concluded that Sonoma Mountain Road between Pressley Road and Warm Springs Road had “no remaining useful life.” After this project is completed, all of Sonoma Mountain Road between Bennett Valley Road and Mountain Meadow Lane (4.4 miles) will have been improved.

The 3.3 mile stretch between Mountain Meadow Lane and Warm Springs Road still desperately needs to be rehabilitated.  It has failed, depressed, and sunken roadways, frequent extensive large and dangerous potholes, and badly cracked roadsides. These conditions are hazardous to vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Sonoma Mountain Road was twice voted “the worst road in Sonoma County” in Press Democrat contests.

We encourage Bennett Valley residents to support the continuing improvement of our roads by working with the BVCA and thanking Supervisor Susan Gorin for her support, and also thanking Director Johannes Hoevertsz  and Deputy Director Janice Thompson at Sonoma County Public Infrastructure. 

Supervisor Susan Gorin   Susan.Gorin@sonoma-county.org

Director Johannes Hoevertsz   Johannes.Hoevertsz@sonoma-county.org

Deputy Director Janice Thompson   Janice.Thompson@sonoma-county.org