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Weed residents press for safer Highway 97 crossings, drainage and lighting in Lincoln Heights planning session
Summary
At a community meeting on the Lincoln Heights Complete Streets plan, residents prioritized safer crossings on Highway 97, neighborhood-wide drainage fixes, more street lighting and walking paths; city staff and engineers said planning is funded by a Community Development Block Grant and that specific projects will require engineering, easements and coordination with Caltrans.
Residents of Weed’s Lincoln Heights neighborhood on Tuesday evening urged city officials and planners to prioritize safer crossings on Highway 97, neighborhood drainage repairs and better street lighting during a public input meeting for the city’s Complete Streets planning process.
“It's very dangerous,” a resident said of crossing Highway 97, adding that the pedestrian push-button often “won’t stop for you.” Multiple attendees described standing water and erosion after heavy rains on Wakefield, Alameda and Cypress streets; one resident said recent pooling had left “about a 3 inch gap between the road and my driveway.” Several people also asked for storm-drain covers, shade trees and a continuous walking path through the neighborhood.
Why it matters: The planning session will feed a federally funded Community Development Block Grant–supported Complete Streets plan, which the city and its consultant PACE Engineering will use to identify projects and pursue construction funding. Residents said many problems — high speeds on approaches to town, inadequate crossings at 97, persistent drainage and dark streets — make daily walking and safe travel difficult for children and older residents.
City staff and consultants present at the meeting described constraints and next steps. Curtis Padgett of PACE Engineering said Complete Streets work can include pavement, striping, crosswalks, street lights, signage and stormwater systems but noted space limitations and the need for engineering designs. A city official identified in discussion as Chris Davis said bids are open for curb and gutter replacement and repaving on the east side of Lincoln Heights and that the city has projects planned to upgrade water lines on Church Street and to repair a sewer main damaged in the fire.
Residents raised questions about property-line changes and communication after recovery work. One attendee said they had not received documentation after property lines were redrawn and that later excavation work had required further changes; city staff said the effort includes reestablishing property boundaries and, where sidewalks would encroach on private land, the city would seek easements or collective neighborhood agreement.
On traffic controls, participants suggested lowering speed limits on the approach to town, moving or re-siting flashing crossing lights and asked whether a push-button-activated traffic signal or other crossing control could be installed. Facilitators recorded that collisions and near-misses at Highway 97 were part of community concern.
What happens next: Facilitators said all ideas from the meeting — the sticky notes, dot-and-star prioritization and online comments — will be compiled and provided to PACE Engineering and city staff. The Complete Streets plan will go through the required environmental and engineering steps and will be released for public review; planners said the final plan is expected in fall/winter 2027, and project implementation will depend on funding, easements and coordination with agencies such as Caltrans.
Contact and follow-up: Brandy, community development manager with Great Northern Services, and Alicia Garcia were listed as contacts for further questions; organizers said a public survey will be published and that additional outreach will be conducted before engineering and funding requests move forward.
