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Parallel road to Highway 29 in AmCan proposed to relieve traffic woes
Sales tax could bring money to widen highway
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While every local city has rough roads, American Canyon and the south county should be the focus of major roadwork.
That’s what county transportation officials heard at a meeting last week.
That’s what county transportation officials heard at a meeting last week.
Paul Miller, a traffic consultant for American Canyon, told the Napa County Transportation and Planning board Wednesday that the cheapest way to get the most cars through American Canyon quickly is to build a road that parallels Highway 29, giving local traffic a better option than Highway 29 and easing congestion on the main thoroughfare. He also said Highway 29 should be widened from four to eight lanes.
The city is contemplating extending Newell Drive to Green Island Road, and American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez said building that extension is higher priority than widening 29.
The city is contemplating extending Newell Drive to Green Island Road, and American Canyon City Manager Rich Ramirez said building that extension is higher priority than widening 29.
Miller estimated it would cost $57 million to extend Newell Drive through the future Town Center, a 100-acre commercial and residential development. Newell would then connect to Green Island Road, and local drivers could use Devlin Road, which is slated to extend south from its current terminus near the Napa County Airport.
Once built, the Newell Drive extension will carry an additional 36,000 vehicles per day.
Once built, the Newell Drive extension will carry an additional 36,000 vehicles per day.
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, Miller’s study showed.
City officials hope the countywide transportation sales tax under discussion would 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.
Ramirez said the city hopes that up to 60 percent of the cost of the Newell project could be paid with transportation tax proceeds.
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 in 2010, is slated to break ground later this month near the intersection of Newell Drive and American Canyon Road. Don Evans, construction director for the Napa Valley Unified School District, said the Newell extension is “something that will benefit the school in terms of traffic flow.”
Two NCTPA board members — Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht and Napa Mayor Techel — said last week they welcomed American Canyon’s presentation to the NCTPA board.
“They will certainly be at the table,” said Wagenknecht of American Canyon, referring to future discussions on the transportation sales tax.
City officials hope the countywide transportation sales tax under discussion would 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.
Ramirez said the city hopes that up to 60 percent of the cost of the Newell project could be paid with transportation tax proceeds.
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 in 2010, is slated to break ground later this month near the intersection of Newell Drive and American Canyon Road. Don Evans, construction director for the Napa Valley Unified School District, said the Newell extension is “something that will benefit the school in terms of traffic flow.”
Two NCTPA board members — Napa County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht and Napa Mayor Techel — said last week they welcomed American Canyon’s presentation to the NCTPA board.
“They will certainly be at the table,” said Wagenknecht of American Canyon, referring to future discussions on the transportation sales tax.
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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. "