By Kieran Kelly
Residents living along Larkin Valley Road in Aptos can finally breathe a sigh of relief as new stop signs are being installed at two intersections on this twisting, scenic thoroughfare for everyone’s safety.
At the Feb. 1 meeting, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors voted to designate the intersection of Larkin Valley Road and Mar Monte Avenue, as well as the Larkin Valley Road and White Road intersection, as multi-way stop intersections.
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend, who represents Larkin Valley, says, “This is in direct response to the steadfast advocacy of neighbors wanting to improve safety in the Larkin Valley area. People have been using the local roads as a cut-through, increasing speeding and traffic volumes, and these stop signs will help improve safety in the neighborhood.”
Many nearby residents can attest to the danger of speeding drivers on the narrow country road.
“More than once I have nearly missed being broadsided while merging onto Larkin Valley Road, and I’ve heard similar tales from my neighbors,” says Jo Farb Hernandez. “These intersections have been a deadly accident waiting to happen, and we are very pleased to hear that new stop signs will be installed.”
Santa Cruz County’s Department of Public Works contracted with the engineering consulting firm Ruggeri, Jensen, Azar to evaluate the intersection of Larkin Valley Road and Mar Monte Avenue. They used Kimley-Horn consultants to analyze the Larkin Valley Road and White Road intersection.
Both studies determined that motorists did not have an adequate sight distance to safely enter Larkin Valley Road from either Mar Monte or White. Accordingly, both studies recommended the installation of multi-way stops at these intersections to reduce the chances of a deadly collision.
According to Russell Chen, senior civil engineer for Santa Cruz County, the new stop signs will be installed in mid-March. Traffic warning signs will be placed near the intersections in the days leading up to the installation to alert residents to the new stop signs.