Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Active Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board backs two active-transportation corridors; Madison–Esparto and Davis–Woodland move to design
Summary
The Yolo Transportation District and county staff asked the Yolo County Board of Supervisors to affirm two off-street multiuse trail segments for design: Madison to Esparto and Davis to Woodland. The board approved advancing both corridors toward design to improve safe access and connect underserved communities.
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors on July 8 affirmed two preferred segments of the Yolo Active Transportation Corridors plan for advancement to design: a 2.7-mile corridor connecting Madison and Esparto and an off-road alignment linking Davis and Woodland.
Yolo Transportation District planning staff said the project, funded in part by a $1.2 million RAISE grant, prioritizes off-street multiuse trails that improve mobility for low-income and minority residents and update the county’s 2013 bicycle plan. Brian Abenat, planning director for the district, described outreach and the technical scoring process that evaluated roughly 40 candidate segments using nine criteria, including safety, access to schools and services, and transit connectivity.
Brenda Loma Lee, project manager, described an intensive outreach program of 22 workshops, localized in unincorporated communities and targeted at underserved residents; the team collected 381 map comments, staff said. The plan focuses half its funds on outreach and planning and half on design and engineering so the county and partner agencies will be competitive for capital grants.
Why it matters: Staff said the Madison–Esparto segment addresses a 2.7-mile route along Highway 16 where students and residents now must drive because of high-speed traffic and a lack of safe crossings. The Davis–Woodland link follows County Road 27 to leverage an upcoming county road rehabilitation project and to connect to planned frontage improvements that will support a continuous bike/pedestrian corridor.
The board voted to affirm the two corridors to advance them into the design phase and to accept the broader YATC effort as the successor to the county’s 2013 bicycle plan; staff will return with the formal plan for adoption later in the year.
Board members noted the projects’ grant competitiveness may improve when multiple agencies present coordinated plans. Supervisor Villegas, Supervisor Frerichs and others urged continued coordination with cities, tribal partners and regional legislative offices for funding support. Several supervisors emphasized that including the projects in county planning documents will help secure construction funding.
Next steps: With the board’s affirmation, Yolo Transportation District staff will proceed to design work with a goal to complete design by the end of next calendar year for both corridors. The district and county plan to return later in the year with the formal plan adoption and details for integrating projects into capital programming and grant strategies.
