MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez City Council’s Franchise/Public Infrastructure Subcommittee got a preview of the next round of prospective road maintenance and repair projects that will use Measure D half-cent sales tax money.
The panel, made up of Councilmembers Lara DeLaney and Mark Ross, also learned of items that may need future consideration related to future road repairs.
One issue is timing, City Engineer Tim Tucker said. The current schedule for road selection, preparation and bidding sometimes puts Martinez at a disadvantage, because bids are being sought when construction companies are busy.
Getting those bid requests out more quickly in future years could mean some projects could cost less, he advised.
Another discussion revolved around Muir Oaks, an area where streets were maintained by Contra Costa County prior to annexation, when the roads were decided not to be up to city standards. Those streets are used by the public, but are privately maintained.
Tucker said he looked at the 1975 annexation, and described it as “convoluted” and “unique,” with residents of that area owning streets to the center line.
Options could be a one-time project to upgrade the streets or forming a special taxing district similar to Martinez’s lighting and landscaping districts, Tucker said. “It’s not going to be solved tonight,” he said. “There are old areas in limbo.”
While those topics will be taken up in the future, the subcommittee’s immediate concern during its Wednesday night meeting was the list of proposed street maintenance and repair projects that can be undertaken during Fiscal Year 2019-20 using the half-cent sales tax revenues.
The meeting was a chance for the public to hear which areas would get attention. Tucker said last year’s projects predominantly were south of California Highway 4, so most of this year’s projects would be north of that artery.
While the list must get City Council approval, it divides the city into 10 areas.
In the Willow-Grandview Area 1, repairs are proposed for Arreba Street from Pine Street to its end; Azalea Avenue from Susana Street to Warren Street; Azalea Court from Azalea Avenue to Grandview Avenue; Grandview Avenue from Mellus Street to the end and from Ward Street to past Main Street; Grandview Court from Grandview Avenue to its end; Henrietta St. from Willow Street to Grandview Avenue; Highland Avenue from Grandview Avenue to Merrithew Drive; Huntington Court from Ward Street to its end; La Salle Street from Warren Street to its north end; Lafayette Street from Ward Street to its north end; Mellus Street from Pine Street to Grandview Avenue; Susana Street from Willow Street to Grandview Avenue; Warren Street from Pine Street to Grandview Avenue; and Willow Street from Susana Street to Arreba Street and from Ward Street to its end.
Area 2, in the Masonic and Brown streets area, repairs would be on Arreba Street from Alhambra Avenue to Castro Street; Brown Street from Berrellesa Street to its end; Castro Street from Masonic Street and Jones Street; Estudillo Street from Susana Street to Brown Street; Ferry Street from Robinson Street to Brown Street and from Masonic Street to Henrietta Street; Haven Street from Richardson Street to Estudillo Street; Henrietta Street from Alhambra Avenue to Estudillo Street; Jones Street from Berrellesa Street to Estudillo Street; Masonic Street from Berrellesa Street and Estudillo Street; Mellus Street from Berrellesa Street to Castro Street; Robinson Street from Berrellesa Street to Castro Street and from Estudillo Street to the end; and Warren Street from Richardson Street to Estudillo Street.
Area 3, the Hillside Drive Area, would see repairs on Carquinez Way from Main Street to Green Street; Green Lane to the end; Green Street from Talbart Street to Berrellesa Street; Hillside Drive from Green Street to Panorama Drive; Panorama Drive to its end; Richardson Street from Ward Street to Green Street; and West Green Street from Carquinez Way to Green Lane.
Area 4, the Yale Street Area, would have repairs on Hollyview Court from Yale Street to the end; Kelly Avenue from Yale Street to Monterey Street; Missouri Street from Hollyview Drive to the end; Saxon Street from Missouri Street to the end; Wayne Street from Missouri Street to the end; the public portion of Wyoming Street; and Yale Street from Palm Avenue to the end.
Morello Avenue’s Area 5 has proposed repairs on Dardanelle Drive from Marie Avenue to the end; Dardanelle Court from Dardanelle Drive to the end; Marie Avenue from Morello Avenue to the end; and Robinsdale Road from Morello Avenue to the end.
Area 6 is Morello Avenue between Pacheco Boulevard to Arnold Drive. Affected streets would be Baylands Drive from Village Oaks to Shadow Falls; Coldsprings Court from Stonybrook Street to the end; Greenway Drive from Palisade Drive to the end; Loretto Court from Morello Avenue to the end; Palisade Court from Palisade Drive to the end; Palisade Drive from Morello Avenue to the end; Riverwood Circle in the Village Oaks Drive area; Shadow Falls Drive and Shadow Falls Circle from Arnold Drive to the end; Stoneybrook Drive from Village Oaks Drive to Baylands Drive; Sun Court from Stonybrook Drive to the end; Village Oaks Drive from Morello Avenue to Shadow Falls Drive; and Willow Creek Lane from Village Oaks Drive to Shadow Falls Drive.
Areas 7 through 9 have been combined in this list, which includes neighborhoods on Starflower Drive, Sweetwater Drive and Glacier Drive. With a few exceptions, the paving projects will go from a specific starting point through to the end of the streets.
The exceptions are Cunningham Lane, from Glouchester Lane to Thatcher Drive; Glacier Drive from Olympic Drive to Center Street; Starflower Drive between its Arnold Drive boundaries; and Sweetwater Drive to its Muir Street boundaries.
Alps Court, Blackrock Place, Bouldercreek Court, Drycreek Court, East Peak Court, East View Place, Freshwater Court, Highcliff Court, North Peak Place, Ophir Court, Range Place, Rangeview Place, Redrock Place, Rock Pass Place, Southwest Court, Stillcreek Court Stillspring Place and Westward Place will be repaired from Sweetwater Drive to the end.
Fountainhead Court will be fixed from Muir Street to the end; Foxhill Drive, Bayleaf and Whittenmire streets from Starflower to the end; and Glacier Court will be repaired from Glacier Drive to the end.
Other repairs and their starting streets are Gloucester Lane starting at Arnold Drive; Klamath, Lava and Lakeside courts starting at Ophir Court; Marazzani Drive starting at Thatcher Drive; Rosemary and Roux courts starting at Millano Drive; and Thatcher Drive starting at Bridgeport Way.
Area 10 has the Vine Hill Way and Macalvey Drive neighborhoods. Repairs will be on Alhambra Hills Drive from Alhambra Avenue to Macalvey Drive; Jay Place from Morello Avenue to Augustine Drive Macalvey Drive from Morello Avenue to Alhambra Avenue; Ortega Drive between its Augustine Drive points; Sunnybrae Drive from Macalvey Drive to Briar Drive; and Vine Hill Way from Morello Avenue to John Muir Street.
Also in Area 10 are streets that will be repaired from specific starting points to their ends.
They are Alhambra Hills Court starting at Alhambra Hills Drive; Augustine Drive starting at Macalvey Drive; Blue Canyon Way and Blue Canyon Court starting at Macalvey Drive; Briar Drive starting at Sunnybrae Drive; Greenview Court starting at Morello Avenue; Mt. Hood Court and Mt. Kennedy Drive starting at Alhambra Hills Drive; Mount Tam Court starting at Macalvey Drive; Oak Crest Court starting at Morello Avenue; Stonecreek Court starting at Macalvey Drive; Sunnybrae Court starting at Sunnybrae Drive; and White Mountain Court starting at Sunnybrae Drive.
Other Area 10 repairs would be on Alhambra Hills Drive from Alhambra Avenue to Macalvey Drive; Jay Place from Morello Avenue to Augustine Drive; Macalvey Drive from Morello Avenue to Alhambra Avenue; Ortego Drive at Augustine Drive; Sunnybrae Drive from Macalvey Drive to Briar Drive; and Vine Hill Way from Morello Avenue to John Muir Road.
The streets were chosen based on conditions noted in the 2017 Pavement Management Program (PMP) survey, which is expected to be updated soon, as well as whether projects could be done with timing that coordinates with utilities.
Other factors were grouping projects by neighborhoods and treatment types and consideration of other partners.
One project DeLaney said disappointed her was Marina Vista Avenue, which was repaired using federal monies, but has been damaged during the construction of the new Contra Costa County Administration Building.
Marina Vista Avenue was repaired about five years ago and had a five-year life span expectation, Tucker said. However, he said, the city had advised Contra Costa County to set aside contingency funds to make the street right after construction damage.
Another concern is Huntington Court, which is a roadway that needs help, but is so narrow that construction trucks have trouble accessing it, Tucker said. “We couldn’t get equ8pment down there,” he explained.
Martinez has bought some road repair equipment of its own, but it may not be able to handle the type of work the street needs, he said. However, Tucker said he’s trying to move Huntington Court up higher in the city’s priorities to give its residents relief.
Much of the work this coming fiscal year will involve digging out damaged spots and repairing them in preparation for a cape seal, Tucker said. “Everyone wants a repave, but no city can afford that,” he said.
But the rubberized cape seal holds up for about 10 years, and it’s an approach that has worked well in Martinez, he said.
And it’s more acceptable than the chip seal approach used by Contra Costa County in places that don’t have curbs and sidewalks. In this city, chip seal would send rocks everywhere, he said.
Tucker said he’s also recommending the city consider a three-year, on-call paving contract that would involve a contract for a specific quantity of work, so that Martinez doesn’t have to repeat requesting bids and so it can get repairs done faster.
However, he doesn’t suggest the city seek bonds to get all its repairs done at once, then have to pay back those loans. While it’s one approach that could get projects done more quickly at current prices, Tucker said the half-cent sales tax is bringing in more revenue than expected.
Spreading out the jobs through the 15-year lifespan of the tax means city staff, including inspectors, wouldn’t be spread so thin making sure the work is done right, he said.
The street list introduced Wednesday is tentative, and will be shown to the Martinez City Council Feb. 6. After that, the engineering staff will finish preliminary plans that include materials quantities and price estimates. The city’s Finance Department will confirm funding is available, then the subcommittee will review the final list before project advertising is placed.
