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SACRAMENTO – Caltrans has announced that the condition of the pavement on California’s highways is at its healthiest level in more than a decade, according to the recently released 2013 State of the Pavement Report.
“It’s important to maintain and preserve the existing transportation system first and foremost before making other improvements,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “This improvement in our pavement proves that we are committed to doing just that.”
Caltrans reported that the percent of healthy pavement on the state highway system increased from 75 to 84 percent from 2011 to 2013 – an increase of 4,500 lane miles of smoother pavement.
Caltrans maintains its aging state highway system even while it carries nearly 35 million vehicles. Each year, the department surveys the condition of its pavement to determine how much of the system needs maintenance.
Annual maintenance needs far outpace dependable funding, but Caltrans uses high-tech strategies, recycling, and innovative treatments to make pavement last longer, to stretch every dollar and to preserve the environment.
Cold-in-place recycling allows Caltrans to recycle and reprocess existing pavement without leaving the construction site.
That method, and using rubberized hot-mix asphalt and warm-mix asphalt, has reduced more than 61,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Caltrans used one-time funds from the 2006 Proposition 1B transportation bond and the 2009 Recovery Act to help pay for nearly $4 billion in pavement projects on nearly 18,000 lane miles in the last four years.
Continued improvement of pavement health is contingent on a stable funding source for road rehabilitation and repair.
Caltrans reported on pavement health and other road maintenance conditions earlier this year in its publication Mile Marker, a plain language and clearly written report on how Caltrans is performing and the current state of the California transportation system.
Mile Marker is available online at http://www.dot.ca.gov/ .
The 2013 State of the Pavement Report can be seen below.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The open enrollment deadline to sign up for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is Monday, March 31.
To assist constituents over the remaining days in the current enrollment period, Assemblymember Mariko Yamada (D-Davis) has compiled a list of organizations and events in the Fourth Assembly District where information regarding health coverage is available.
“Medical bills are the No. 1 cause of bankruptcies in the United States, but now, affordable health coverage is attainable,” Yamada said. “To be sure you get the right information; I encourage you to contact one of these local organizations to enroll in the health care plan that’s best for you and your family. Over one million Californians already have.”
Individuals who qualify for Medi-Cal must also enroll by March 31 to avoid incurring a penalty next year during tax season. Certain exceptions exist.
Many organizations have become certified to help individuals and families navigate health plan options.
A list of organizations with Certified Enrollment Counselors serving Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo Counties is available on Assemblymember Yamada’s Web site at www.asm.ca.gov/yamada .
A full list of organizations may be found at Covered California’s Web site, www.coveredca.com .
The State Water Resources Control Board this week approved new low-interest financing terms for water recycling projects to help California produce an additional 150,000 acre-feet of recycled water annually, one of several actions Gov. Brown called for in his Drought State of Emergency.
Beginning immediately, the State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance is offering $800 million in 1 percent loans – approximately half the current interest rate – for water recycling projects that can be completed within three years of the governor’s Jan. 17 declaration.
Applications for funding must be submitted by Dec. 2, 2015.
Water recycling is the use of treated municipal wastewater for beneficial purposes, such as agricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial processes, and replenishing ground water basins.
Among the projects that will be eligible for funding are recycled water treatment, distribution and storage facilities.
“The governor’s drought proclamation directs us to accelerate funding for water supply enhancement projects that can break ground soon,” said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus. “Offering very low interest financing will provide an immediate incentive to construct more water recycling projects. And when coupled with the longer term financing option we approved late last year, this action will accelerate the production of nearly 150,000 acre-feet annually of new water for beneficial use when these projects reach completion. Californians will feel the benefit of this additional drought-proof water, year after year, for decades to come."
“Better yet,” she added, “these projects will continue to improve California’s water quality and provide drought relief now and year after year for future generations.”
While the enhanced incentives come in response to California’s current drought, they will have future benefits as climate change is expected to lead to changing precipitation patterns and more intense droughts.
The funding is available through the State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) program. The existing program is still available to finance a variety of water quality improvement projects and already offers 30-year extended term financing for eligible projects.
To assess the level of funding incentive necessary to move projects to construction, Division of Financial Assistance staff collaborated with stakeholders throughout the state to survey the needs of agencies with near-term recycled water projects.
Applications for CWSRF financing are accepted continuously. The Financial Assistance Application, instructions, forms and video tutorials are available at www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/grants_loans/srf/srf_forms.shtml .
Since 1977, the State Water Board has provided water recycling funding to plan, design, and construct water recycling facilities.
Between January 2011 and January 2014, the Water Recycling Funding Program has awarded nearly $400 million to fund water recycling planning and construction projects.
Visit www.Drought.CA.Gov to learn more about how California is dealing with the effects of the drought, and for more water conservation ideas, visit www.SaveOurH2O.org .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A fire destroyed a travel trailer at Big Valley Rancheria Tuesday evening.
The fire was first dispatched at approximately 8:48 p.m. in the area of Mission Way and Mission Rancheria Road, according to Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells.
He said the travel trailer's occupant reported that he had just returned from having dinner at the nearby Konocti Vista Casino when he saw flames coming from the trailer and went to a neighbor's to call for help.
Wells said Lakeport and Kelseyville Fire districts sent a total of two engines and seven firefighters. A Kelseyville Fire battalion chief and Wells also were on scene.
There were no injuries and the trailer didn't endanger any other structures, which Wells estimated were about 40 feet away.
Radio traffic indicated the fire was controlled just after 9:20 p.m., with 20 minutes of mop up required.
Wells said the trailer was a total loss.
As to the cause, while it hasn't been finally determined, “I don't think it's suspicious at all,” Wells said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Redbud Audubon Society has announced that its popular nature event, Heron Days, will be on hiatus for 2014 because of the low level of Clear Lake.
Cancellation was based on concerns about the quality of the birding educational experience and boating safety.
With boats unable to enter the shallows of Anderson Marsh and Shirley Slough at Corinthian Bay, guests cannot get close views of the heron rookeries and abundant bird life in these areas.
Audubon’s expert bird guides felt strongly that the educational purpose of the boat tours would be compromised, and guests would be disappointed.
The low water levels along the shoreline and in the channels also pose danger of boat damage from submerged objects.
Local boat owners generously volunteer their boats and their time to make possible these tours, and Audubon cannot risk harm to passengers or boats from these unusual lake conditions.
“This was a difficult decision because these tours are eagerly anticipated each year, said Audubon president Marilyn Waits. “We hope that next year will bring sufficient rain to raise the lake to normal levels, and we can again resume these popular nature boat tours.”
ACCUWEATHER GLOBAL WEATHER CENTER – AccuWeather.com reports the first day of spring will arrive unabated throughout the nation on Thursday, and milder weather will be in place for the start of the season for some.
Spring officially arrives on Thursday at 9:57 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
With the exception of the northern tier states, the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast, temperatures on Thursday will reach or exceed seasonable levels for March 20.
Highs are forecast to reach the 50s F in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati, Kansas City, Mo., and Portland Ore. Sixty-degree temperatures are in the offing from Richmond, Va., to Nashville, St. Louis, Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
However, chilly conditions with some snow will occur over northern New England, upstate New York and the Great Lakes, as well as the northern Rockies. Highs are projected to be in the 30s F from Caribou, Maine, to Buffalo, N.Y., and Minneapolis. Temperatures will peak in the 40s F in Detroit, Chicago, Fargo, N.D., Great Falls, Mont., and Seattle.
Temperatures are likely to climb from the central Plains to the Ohio Valley and Northeast late this week into the first part of the weekend. In many areas, temperatures may be 10 degrees higher Friday or Saturday compared to the day before.
As has been the case during much of the second half of the winter, cold air will fight back into next week.
According to AccuWeather.com Long Range Weather Expert Mark Paquette, “It is almost unthinkable, but it appears that a flow of air straight from the Arctic will develop again soon.”
A large area of high pressure is forecast to move southward from the North Pole and across the Canada Prairies.
“The cold outbreak looks to enter the North Central United States in two shots; one moves in this weekend, then a bigger blast will follow later next week,” Paquette said.
The arctic air is likely to penetrate as far south as the central Plains and the interior Southeast.
High temperatures could be held to the 20s F or lower over the northern tier states from parts of Montana to North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England. Temperatures may struggle to reach 32 F on one or more days from parts of the central Plains to the Midwest and Northeast.
In between the two pushes of cold air, there is the chance of some sort of snow event pushing eastward from the Central states to the Atlantic coast. Whether that event is a nuisance snowfall or a major snowstorm for some locations is uncertain at this time.
This winter has delivered well above-average snowfall for a number of locations from the North Central states to much of the East. Many cities are ranking in their top 10 snowiest winters ever.
Alex Sosnowski is an expert senior meteorologist for www.AccuWeather.com .