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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The approved funding will support the next generation of transportation projects, ranging from bridge maintenance and rail system upgrades to enhanced railroad safety features and increased access for bicyclists and pedestrians.
These benefits will help power economic opportunity as well as mitigate the effects of climate change.
The latest allocations include more than $483 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, or IIJA, and approximately $443 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
“We are committed to providing a world-class transportation system by making smart investments to upgrade our infrastructure and better serve all travelers,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Increasing mobility for Californians demands a multi-modal approach that prioritizes improved safety, system-wide resiliency and sustainability, equitable access, and continued support for the efficient movement of goods and services that help fuel the state’s economic engine.”
The CTC’s investments include $103 million for the North Coast Corridor Rail project in San Diego County, a transformative effort designed to expand and upgrade passenger facilities, decrease rider travel times with a second rail line to bypass slower freight locomotives, and construction of a new bridge spanning the Batiquitos Lagoon.
The funding allocations include $17.8 million to improve Highway 99 and State Route 68 in Tulare County; $10 million to provide Santa Barbara residents with cleaner, climate-friendly electric buses and chargers; and expand facilities for people who walk and bike, such as $3.5 million for Stockton’s East Channel Street Streetscape, which will install bike lanes and sidewalk extensions. In addition, projects approved will enhance safety at railroad crossings, including $5.9 million for improved signaling, signage, and gates at two commuter rail crossings in the city of Montebello.
The latest CTC-approved projects also include:
Approximately $3 million in support of allocations toward the installation of fencing, gates, lighting, and camera systems at 5 maintenance stations in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino counties.
Approximately $31 million including more than $27.4 million in federal IIJA funding and $3.5 million in SB1 funding in support of allocations toward roadway and guardrail improvements and replace rumble strips on Route 1 from south of Philo Greenwood Road to north of Little Lake Road near Mendocino in Mendocino County.
Approximately $6.5 million in SB1 funding in support of allocations toward culvert improvements at various locations on Route 169 from east of the Pecwan Creek Bridge to Route 96 near Weitchpec in Humboldt County.
Approximately $3.5 million in support of allocations toward culvert and fish passage improvements and reduce sediment loads to the South Fork Eel River at various locations along Route 254 from north of U.S. 101 near Miranda to north of Holmes Flat Road near Weott in Humboldt County.
Approximately $4.5 million including more than $4 million in federal IIJA funding in support allocations toward roadway and other safety improvements on Route 1 from north of Havens Neck Drive to Gypsy Flat Road near Gualala in Mendocino County.
Approximately $242,000 in support of allocations toward mitigation work, revegetation and monitoring for the Calpella Two Bridge Replacements Project on Route 20 near Ukiah in Mendocino County.
Approximately $10.2 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward the construction of a soldier pile retaining wall, guardrails, and roadway and culvert repairs on Route 36 near Bridgeville in Humboldt County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward roadway and culvert repairs on U.S. 101 south of Kane Road near Big Lagoon in Humboldt County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $3.2 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway, and culvert repairs and erosion control on Route 1 from the Blue Slide Gulch Viaduct to south of the Wages Creek Bridge near Westport in Mendocino County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $2.6 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs on U.S. 101 and Route 271 north of Hermitage Road near Cummings in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward culvert and embankment repairs with rock slope protection on U.S. 101 near Cloverdale in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs along with the removal of debris and hazardous trees on Route 128 east of Route 1 near Navarro in Mendocino County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $1.1 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and culvert repairs along with erosion control on Route 128 near Cloverdale in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.
Approximately $447,000 in SB1 funding toward the Gualala Downtown Streetscape Enhancement Project on Route 1 in Mendocino County.
IIJA, known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. Since 2021, California has received more than $42 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $29 billion for transportation-related projects.
In addition, SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding each year that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including those partially funded by SB 1.
For more information about California transportation projects funded by IIJA and SB-1, visit https://rebuildingca.ca.gov/ and www.build.ca.gov.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With excessive heat and red flag warnings issued for Lake County this week, Pacific Gas and Electric said it may need to shut off power to about 12,000 Northern California customers, including a small number in Lake County.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning from Tuesday through Thursday, and a red flag warning on Tuesday.
During that time period, temperatures are forecast to spike and top the century mark across Lake County and much of the rest of the region. At the same time, northerly winds of up to 35 miles per hour and low humidity are anticipated.
Those conditions have prompted PG&E to activate its Emergency Operations Center and send two-day advanced notifications in targeted areas where the company said it may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines.
PG&E said the potential public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, is anticipated to begin early Tuesday morning and could last through Wednesday.
If fully implemented, the PSPS will affect approximately 12,000 customers, including two tribal governments, in targeted parts of eight counties.
In Lake County, 49 customers, all of them east of Lower Lake, are expected to be impacted, PG&E reported.
Also set to be impacted are the following counties: Colusa, 550 customers; Glenn, 361 customers; Napa, nine customers; Shasta, 8,888 customers; Solano, 96 customers; Tehama, 1,855 customers; and Yolo, 204 customers.
Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff here.
“PG&E’s commitment is that catastrophic wildfires shall stop. PG&E is determined to protect our hometowns from wildfires, and a PSPS is a last resort,” the company said in its PSPS announcement.
Once severe weather has passed, and it is safe to do so, PG&E said it will work quickly and nimbly to patrol and inspect lines to restore power for customers as soon as possible.
Six community resource centers offering ice, ADA-accessible restrooms, device charging, Wi-Fi, blankets, air conditioning, bottled water and snacks will be available in the affected counties; however, such a center won’t be open in Lake County.
Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts or calling 1-800-743-5000, where in-language support is available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Cal Fire said elevated fire weather conditions will be present from the combination of extreme heat, low humidity levels and gusty winds on top of an abundant and cured grass crop throughout much of California.
Such conditions are a recipe that can lead to significant fire potential risk, Cal Fire said.
“If a fire were to start in these conditions, it has the potential to spread rapidly and exhibit extreme fire behavior,” said Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Deputy Chief Matt Ryan. “We want to remind residents and visitors to take fire safety precautions this week and to make sure you are preparing yourself in the event a wildfire should start near you. Now is the time to have your evacuation plan in place, pack your go back and sign up for emergency alert notifications through the county you live in or will be visiting.”
It has already been one of the busiest starts to a fire year in the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, with over 20,000 acres burned this year. That is more acres burned than the unit saw over the entire three previous years combined.
Consecutive years of above average rain seasons have contributed to an abundance of tall grass throughout the North Bay area and most of California. Since Father’s Day, Cal Fire said it has seen rapid rates of spread and large fire growth, the results of having a substantial herbaceous fuel load — meaning, grasses and forbs — and moderate winds.
Overnight Sunday and into Monday, winds were expected to begin picking up across Northern California.
Cal Fire said the westerly “Konocti winds” that develop in the afternoons across Lake County, and northerly winds moving up from the Delta, are expected to bring gusts in the Bay Area, interior Mountain Ranges and Sacramento Valley.
The excessive heat warning from the National Weather Service is calling for major to extreme heat risk Tuesday through Saturday. Extended heat waves are what the area has experienced during previous extreme fire seasons.
With the July 4 holiday occurring during this forecast period, Cal Fire reminds North Bay residents that all fireworks are banned in the State Responsibility Areas of Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. That includes “safe and sane” fireworks.
In California, there is zero tolerance for the use and sale of illegal fireworks. It is your responsibility to check with your local ordinance regarding the use of fireworks.
In Lake County, the only place that safe and sane fireworks may be used legally is in Lakeport for a brief period around the July 4 holiday.
For information on how to plan and prepare to keep you and your family safe from wildfires, visit
https://readyforwildfire.org/.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet Tuesday, July 2, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to
On Tuesday, the council will receive a presentation by the Clear Lake Environmental Resource Center about its proposed use for the Carnegie Library.
The center, also known as CLERC, already has a lab located on the historic first floor. It now wants to move into the recently renovated second floor, a project the city paid to complete. The group said it plans to run public education programs there.
Under business, council members will consider the adoption of a resolution to cause a written report to be prepared and filed with the city clerk regarding delinquent water, sewer and solid waste user charges, fees and penalties for the period of June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024 and setting a public hearing on the written report prior to collection on the tax roll.
The council also will consider Police Chief Brad Rasmussen’s request to adopt a resolution formally authorizing the receipt by the Lakeport Police Department of cannabis grant funding from the California Highway Patrol.
Capt. Dale Stoebe’s report to the council explains that the Lakeport Police Department applied to the California Highway Patrol for funding from its Cannabis Tax Fund Program to conduct enforcement and training to reduce and mitigate the impacts of impaired driving in our
community. As a result, they were granted $75,159.87 to implement work on driving under the influence detection and enforcement activities — specifically, five saturation patrols — and coursework for officers on drug evaluation and classification.
Utilities Director Paul Harris will present the bid from Summit Signal Inc. dba Danny Mihelcic Construction Services for the permanent installation of three generators and ask the council to award a contract to the company in the amount of $101,647.88.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s regular meeting on June 18; approval of the continuation of the proclamation declaring a local state of emergency
due to severe weather conditions including heavy rain and extreme wind; adoption of the resolution accepting construction of the Carnegie Library Improvement Project, by Skiles and Associates, Inc. and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; approval of a resolution rescinding Resolution 2925 (2023) and revising the Master Pay Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5; review and filing of the Third Quarter Financial Update.
Email Elizabeth Larson at