By Cathy Suematsu and Trini Campbell (November 2006)

For years, Caltrans has insisted that the proposed State Route (SR) 16 safety improvement project must meet certain design standards such as 12 foot lanes, 8 foot shoulders, and a 12 foot, unpaved, clear recover zone. Now they have begun to respond to pressure from the community and are reducing the scope of the project.
In a letter dated August 21st from Caltrans to the community group Capay Valley Coalition (CVC), Robert Nguyen, the State Route 16 Project Manager wrote: "At your request, the Department has re-evaluated our current preliminary design and we were able to reduce the scope of work at Segment 5 between Esparto and Capay. Instead of the curve modification originally proposed at this segment, we will continue to utilize the existing roadbed with some shoulder modifications. Doing so will minimize impacts and help to maintain the rural environment and natural resources of the valley."

However, concerned citizens must continue pressuring Caltrans, because they are still planning a drastic alteration of the roadway for the rest of the project from I 505 to Brooks in western Yolo County. They plan to:

• Expand the present width of the roadway by 2.5 times to a total roadway width (paved and clear recovery zone) of 64 feet.
• Widen, straighten, and flatten the highway to a 65 miles per hour design standard.
  Replace the current road with a brand new 2-lane highway: some segments adjacent to and others completely deviating from the existing roadbed.
• Acquire right-of-way from the owners of 70 parcels through the eminent domain process if necessary.
• Consume approximately 170 acres of farmland, destroy 10 dwellings, raze historical sites, and bulldoze an undisclosed number of riparian or orchard trees as well as approximately 700 mature Oak and Black Walnut trees.
• Ignore the safety issues in the towns of Esparto, Capay, and Madison.
  Spend an estimated $51 million dollars.

The Highway 16 Project maps and a detailed project description can be obtained at Caltrans' website: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist3/projects/yolo16/documents.htm

The Capay Valley Coalition insists that Caltrans make safety improvements within the project area and simultaneously preserve the unique, rural character of the Capay Valley region by scaling down the project. Concerned citizens recommend that Caltrans construct a series of smaller projects along SR 16 that include the following:

• Maintain the highway on the current roadbed
• Pave existing shoulders
• Provide regular pullouts for slower vehicles and law enforcement activities
• Construct turn pockets for major valley intersections
• Install rumble strips and guardrails where appropriate
• End the project at the casino stoplight
• Support implementation of the park and ride facility for 800 casino employees which was mandated by the 2002 County-Tribe Agreement
• Bury utility lines along the highway for enhanced safety and to allow the heritage oaks to grow unimpeded by pruning for power wire clearance
• Reduce the amount of right of way acquisition

Caltrans plans to release the Final Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Highway 16 project this fall. The environmental document was reviewed by the US Department of the Interior due to the potential impact to historical resources within the project area. Caltrans does not plan on holding any further public hearings, yet our long-term, environmental future is at stake. People who value the natural resources of Capay Valley must take other steps now for our voice to be heard.

The Capay Valley Coalition is meeting with elected officials and raising a legal challenge against Caltrans, questioning the extensive scope of the State Route 16 project. The organization has retained the Law Office of J. William Yeates based in Sacramento. CVC welcomes donations and citizen involvement. Please inform your neighbors about the project and write letters to your representatives and to the editors of local newspapers.

Contributions may be sent to: Capay Valley Coalition P.O. Box 894 Esparto, CA 95627
The Capay Valley Coalition (CVC), is a 501c4, non-profit organization. Its mission is to preserve the environment and communities of rural western Yolo County by protecting common resources and to enhance the quality of life through education and the promotion of agricultural land preservation, open space, and public safety.

For additional information, please contact Anne Pym McDonald, President, at 530-796-3821 or Trini Campbell, Secretary, at 530-796-4122.