In the wake of the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury concluding that county road conditions are deplorable, Aptos Times asked readers to identify which roads in Aptos need attention from our county public works staff.
In our last issue, Steve Gregori called out 446-449 Monterey Drive, a street in between Clubhouse Drive and Vista Del Mar Drive.
Photo of Monterey Drive by Heather Gomez
Nancy Schultz seconds that motion: “I want to involve my neighbors in writing to make our voices heard. The section of Monterey Drive between Bonita and Alta is a disgrace. There are many potholes and the pavement has been ground to gravel. The county sent out a crew after the heavy rains two years ago to patch some of the potholes but with subsequent heavy rains, the rosd is again in very poor condition.”
She adds, “Some of my neighbors are elderly and do not email or have smart phones. Who can they call or write to using regular mail to make their voices heard? We all agree that most of this section of Monterey Drive, not just between 446 and 449, is in bad need of repair.”
Heather Gomez chimed in, “The issue with Monterey Drive is that when people are on Clubhouse Drive trying to get to the beach, they go over to Monterey Drive as a cut-through to avoid the traffic jam. So Monterey Drive gets more traffic than it should, and it takes a toll on the pavement.”
She adds, “After every rainstorm, the road opens up like Swiss cheese and you have to dodge potholes about every 10 feet during the winter months. You can see how many times some of these potholes have been filled. A neighbor on our street popped a tire this past winter because one pothole was so big and impossible to see at night. There is definitely a drainage problem that needs to be addressed. The neighbors of Monterey Drive would really appreciate getting this issue resolved.”
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Frank Gale nominated Trout Gulch Road and included 10 photos:
Photo of Trout Gulch Road by Frank Gale
“This was a 300-foot section I shot on way home after reading your article,” he said. “The lighting did not do the pics justice.”
It’s true, much of the area is shaded due to the surrounding forest.
“I constantly see a disproportionate number of tow trucks coming and going,” he added. “A few years back I got a hold of head of road maintenance. He had me go out and get milage markers where potholes I was complaining about were located. Sure enough, he sent a crew the next day and they patched 3 small holes in an area where many larger, deeper holes within 12 to 15 feet were left.”
He also recalled “a mudslide that covered the road for weeks and while covered it was the smoothest the road has ever been. Lol.”
Christina Grant has another nomination: Bonita Road between Freedom Blvd and Vista Del Mar, where chunk holes are visible, even in the shade.
Photo of Bonita Road Road by Christina Grant
The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is asking for feedback from residents to create the “Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment and Transportation Priorities Report.”
So Aptos Times shared the names of roads in poor condition identified by residents — Monterey Drive, Trout Gulch Road Bonita Road, Sumner Avenue, 260 Rio del Mar Blvd., and Robertson near Soquel Wharf Road.
Transportation planner Brianna Goodman, who is overseeing the CAVA Project, responded, “To clarify, this effort is not about identifying specific assets that need repair now.”
She added, “While we and our partners at the County understand that there are millions of dollars of road repairs that are needed now, the CAVA work is also needed in order to move beyond only fixing damage after it occurs, and get out ahead of climate change accelerated natural disasters by understanding where assets might be vulnerable in the future and making those locations more resilient before damage occurs.”
Read the grand jury report at: www.santacruzcountyca.gov/Portals/0/County/GrandJury/GJ2024_final/2024-1_Roads_Report.pdf
TOP PHOTO: Monterey Drive by Steve Gregori