Napa County is divvying up $6.4 million in federal money for transportation, with contenders ranging from the Vine Trail to the Silverado Trail roundabouts.
The Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) is overseeing the process. On Thursday, various public works officials from local cities and the county met in a public meeting as the Technical Advisory Committee to give their advice.
Local cities submitted 14 potential projects totaling $27.6 million, four times the available amount. The NVTA must decide who will get the money and what projects might be better suited to other funding sources.
The public works officials favored having the city of Napa receive $2 million for its $9.5 million roundabout project to sort out a five-way Silverado Trail intersection.
“We have other (funding) pieces identified,” Napa Deputy Public Works Director Eric Whan said. “It’s one of the pieces to get the project completed.”
People are also reading…
The Vine Trail could receive $650,000 for its $750,000 Soscol gap project. This would widen a sidewalk along Soscol Avenue for almost a half-mile mile between Third and Vallejo streets to become part of the Vine Trail for cyclists and pedestrians.
When this gap is filled, possibly by 2019, the Vine Trail will have a continuous section extending from Kennedy Park in Napa through Yountville, more than 12 miles.
Also, the Vine Trail is favored to receive $711,000 for its $9.8 million St. Helena-to-Calistoga project, which also has other funding sources.
The Napa County Office of Education and Napa County Bicycle Coalition could receive $227,000 for the Safe Routes to School program. This program does such things as provide safe walking and biking education to children and identifies needed crosswalk and other improvements for pedestrians.
McPherson Elementary School Principal Troy Knox showed up at the meeting to endorse Safe Routes to School. The school has 485 students and a third to half of them travel by foot or bike, he said.
“This program is vital to ensuring our kids arrive at school and get home safely,” he said.
American Canyon Public Works Director Jason Holley lobbied for more money for that city’s $12 million Green Island Road project in its industrial area. The city wants to widen Green Island Road to three lanes, repair deteriorating streets and add a Napa Valley Vine Trail section.
The Technical Advisory Committee switched around some funding and recommended upping the Green Island share from $536,000 to $1 million.
Public works officials also favored directing $689,000 to Napa County’s $2.4 million Silverado Trail pavement rehabilitation project and $1.1 million to St. Helena Main Street improvements.
The Napa Valley Transportation Authority Board of Directors will have the final word when it meets on April 19.
Federal transportation money is funneled through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s One Bay Area program. The goal is to link transportation funding with land use planning as required under state climate change laws.
Barry Eberling
Napa County Reporter
Barry Eberling covers Napa County government, transportation, the environment and general assignments. He has worked for the Napa Valley Register since fall 2014 and previously worked 27 years for the Daily Republic of Fairfield.
