SOUTH COUNTY — The Lake County Area Planning Council (APC) is anticipating award of a $160,000 Transportation Planning Grant from Caltrans. Award of the grant is contingent on the passing of the 2008-09 State Budget.
The grant is to be used in the “State Route 53 Corridor Study,” which includes the involvement of the APC, City of Clearlake, County of Lake, Caltrans, Clearlake residents, Lower Lake and the Lake Transit Authority.
“The Lake County Area Planning Council is going to be receiving $160,000 for their project called the ?State Route 53 Corridor Study,” Phil Frisbie, Jr. Caltrans information officer for Lake and Mendocino counties said. “Their project will evaluate current and future traffic conditions with primary emphasis on access points including future intersection locations and designs and develop preliminary, long-term plans to address highway and local road needs.”
According to the Caltrans Web site, the study will produce a report with a summary of stakeholder input and provide recommendations for changes to existing policies that support proposed corridor improvements.
Clearlake City Councilmember Judy Thein, who serves on the APC as well, said she plans to keep the corridor project in the forefront. “Caltrans indicated that this project could be a priority based on the severity of the problems at Olympic Drive and State Route 53,” Thein said. “I”m going to follow this closely to make sure this priority project doesn”t fall through the cracks.”
The transportation planning grant will provide the APC with the means to complete the corridor study in order to develop a project in the future. “This grant will be used to evaluate current and future conditions as well as address long-term plans and local road needs,” Thein said. “Caltrans predicted that the actual project will be included in 2010 expenditures. It is going to be one of my priorities to monitor this project”s progress.”
Allocation of the grant is contingent with the passage of the 2008-09 State Budget, which according to a correspondence from Senator Patricia Wiggins” office, was scheduled for vote late last night.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
