LAKEPORT >> The Lake County/City Area Planning Council (APC) is currently in the process of updating the Regional Transportation Plan to identify transportation needs and priority projects over the next 20 years.
Some projects the APC are planning to have in their update are better sidewalks and bike paths, parts of Highway 29 and extending roads like the Dam Road Ext. in Clearlake to better connect them with shopping marts and housing.
This update can potentially alter bus routes, add or move bus stops or update them said John Specka, the Senior Planner for the APC.
“Everyone wants improvements, but there’s not always enough dollars to go around,” Specka said.
Measures “V” and “Z” that were passed in the 2016 election will help with creating more revenue in the budget for projects that are incorporated in the Regional Transportation Plan, Specka added. The budget for transportation projects has gradually decreased over the years, so the passing Measures will play a huge roll in making repairs happen.
“The Measures are huge victories for repairs,” Specka said. “We don’t need to wait on the state to give money for the projects.”
APC will host a series of public workshops for the community to give them a chance to voice their concerns or say what they would like to see changed in regards of transportation issues. This will allow those who are interested a chance to have their input in the plan.
Jeff Cramer, owner of the Main St. Bicycles in Downtown Lakeport said he has gone to a previous APC meeting and voiced his concerns with bike paths.
“I’ve been trying to acquire a safer bike path for kids to ride their bikes to school,” Cramer said. “It’s disconcerting to me when parents talk about their kids not getting enough exercise.”
Cramer said he will be attending one of the future workshops to voice his input for better bike paths to clear up the roads to schools, and get more kids to ride their bikes.
The APC updates the plan every four years, however there has not been an update since 2010 because of a housing cycle update and the need to keep the two plans in sync. Specka said this is to keep things up to date and moving forward with various projects that may come up.
