Traffic is down to one lane on Soquel Drive as roadwork resumes for Santa Cruz County’s $2.85 million improvement project for Aptos Village.
A warning sign on Soquel Drive in Aptos just past the Safeway shopping center alerts motorists to the road work ahead. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Anderson Pacific, the contractor, will install a traffic signal and ADA-compliant railroad crossing at Aptos Creek Road, new sidewalk, curb, gutter, and drainage and a fiber optic system to coordinate signals from Trout Gulch Road to State Park Drive.
The expected completion date is Nov. 30.
The first step is a noisy one, “potholing” on Soquel Drive and Aptos Creek Road to determine exact locations of underground utilities.
Warning signs on Soquel Drive alert motorists that roadwork is ahead.
At Aptos Creek Road, Soquel Drive is down to one lane, with a flagger. The county warns there may be delays of up to 15 minutes.
The “potholing” work begins on Soquel Drive in Aptos to pinpoint the locations of underground utilities. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Aptos resident Becky Steinbruner, who tracks local issues, said she heard from residents that one day last week, traffic was backed up to the Safeway shopping center and there was confusion for bikers by Parish Publick House.
She wondered if the one lane would slow response times for emergency response vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances.
“It’s just part of business,” said Aptos LaSelva Fire Chief Aaron Lowe, discussing the issue on a telephone town hall with County Supervisor Zach Friend and his constituents. “Construction always means inconvenience.”
Lowe said it’s not worth driving faster “when you can’t see very well,” adding, “Professionalism will reduce or mitigate exposures.”
Another option, he said, is that firefighters can always ask for an engine to come from another area so as to avoid the construction site.
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For project information, visit aptosvillageimprovement.blogspot.com.