Lake County outlines 2026 transportation work plan, targets expanded chip-seal and staffing

Public works Director Yuing presented the Lake County Board of Supervisors with the proposed 2026 transportation work plan and a 2027–2031 five-year program, describing staffing changes, program financing and a district-by-district project schedule.

"This is a focus presentation on this year's work plan," Yuing told the board, noting the road crew currently numbers 34 and the board recently approved six additional SB1-funded positions to move toward an allocated crew of 40. He said the county is doing about 35 miles of chip-seal work a year and has a long-term goal of 50 miles annually but warned that "50 doesn't happen this year or next simply because we have new positions" and that chip-seal work requires roughly two years of preparatory work.

Yuing provided district breakdowns of paved and unpaved miles and reported pavement-condition-index (PCI) estimates for each supervisory district (District 1 ~38, District 2 ~13.5, District 3 ~29, District 4 ~40, District 5 ~36). He said the county uses PCI as a key prioritization tool for pavement preservation but acknowledged significant variation and urged attention to low-PCI areas.

On funding, Yuing said SB1 funds are roughly $4 million annually for Lake County (allocated by a formula he described as 75% road-mileage and 25% registered vehicles), HUDA averages about $3.5 million a year, and property tax contributions for transportation are roughly $1.2 million. He said about 70% of transportation expenditures go to routine operations and maintenance, about 18% to pavement preservation and about 12% to capital projects, with most capital work depending on competitive grants.

Yuing outlined the county crew's 2026 work — roughly 32 miles concentrated in the North Lakeport and Nice areas, three short-span bridge rehabs (two complete, one upcoming), and chip-seal work in several county service areas — and summarized contracted capital projects including Kelseyville sidewalks (federal Safe Routes to School and SB1), Hill Road landslide repair (FHWA emergency relief, bid this year, construction next year), Lamson Field apron rehab (FAA; about $1.2 million), Upper Wolf Creek bridge replacement (highway bridge program; ~$2 million), and Socrates Mine Road landslide repairs (geothermal funding, ~$2 million across two sites).

Public commenters pressed the board to prioritize low-PCI roads in District 3 (Clear Lake Oaks, Lucerne) and asked whether the South Main/Soda Bay project connects to recent improvements near Big Valley. An online commenter raised Old Long Valley Bridge as a safety and evacuation-route concern and urged grant pursuit. Yuing responded that the South Main–Soda Bay corridor project covers South Main and about 1,000 feet of Soda Bay Road toward the Lakeport Transfer Station, and that he is in discussions with the EPA about Sulfur Bank Road to pursue impact agreements related to upcoming Superfund remediation work.

The board thanked Yuing and the road crew for progress and accepted the presentation with no further direction.

Ending

The county emphasized that expanding annual chip-seal production to the 50-mile goal will require the newly approved staff to come onboard and continued multi-year prep work; board members urged staff to prioritize the worst-condition and evacuation-route roads when additional miles become available.