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Calistoga council picks Grant Street for next repaving project, citing condition and readiness
Summary
After a two-hour public discussion about costs, deferred owner agreements and bike-lane trade-offs, Calistoga’s council directed staff to proceed with the Grant Street repaving project (approx. $1.8 million), and asked staff to return with a plan regarding deferred-agreement enforcement or forgiveness.
Calistoga’s City Council on July 14 voted to move forward with the Grant Street repaving project rather than Washington Street, citing Grant Street’s poorer pavement condition and the relative simplicity of the project’s underground work and funding needs.
Public Works Director Derek Rayner briefed the council on two candidate projects. Washington Street’s pavement condition index (PCI) is about 33 and the project—approximately 1,400 linear feet—would require significant water and recycled-water pipeline replacements; current cost estimates in the staff report were roughly $2.2 million and adding class 2 bike lanes could eliminate about nine parking spaces. Grant Street’s PCI is about 22 (considered very poor), covers roughly 2,500 linear feet and includes a multi-use pathway; the Grant project’s estimate was about $1.8 million but it also includes deferred-agreement obligations with some property owners estimated at roughly $150,000 in total.
Residents from Grant Street urged immediate action. Emilio Tedeschi, who lives on Grant Street, told the council, “We’ve been waiting 20 years for this project to get started…Grant Street is in worst condition, so I believe it should be addressed first.” Public commenters and the Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) recommended prioritizing Grant Street so work can proceed while Council studies parking, bike lanes and possible design changes for Washington Street.
Council members noted competing priorities: Washington Street connects to schools, the Boys & Girls Club and apartment complexes and several speakers urged safer separated bike facilities there. Staff explained that enforcing the deferred agreements associated with Grant Street could delay that project; alternatively, the city could pursue waiving or forgiving those agreements, an option staff said they would bring back to Council for direction.
The Council’s motion to proceed with the Grant Street project was approved by roll call. Staff will return with an item about the deferred agreements and next steps for bidding and construction.
