MCOG receives $847,000 for Covelo transportation project
By Ukiah Daily Journal staff Updated: 09/11/2014 04:36:53 PM PDT
The Mendocino Council of Governments has received a grant to complete a transportation project aimed at improving safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles in the Covelo area. A grant of $847,000 for the State Route 162 Corridor multipurpose trail project was provided under the new Active Transportation Program, according to an MCOG news release. The ATP aims to improve active transportation, like biking and walking statewide. The funds for Covelo will help with environmental and design work to prepare for construction, including a non-infrastructure component of education and training in bicycle and pedestrian safety. MCOG will contribute another $57,000 for a grand total of $904,000. “This will be a great safety improvement for Round Valley,” said Mendocino County 3rd District Supervisor John Pinches. “The grant is all people can talk about up there; the locals think it’s great. It’s nice to get these federal transportation dollars here in our rural county.” The project is a result of several years of MCOG- sponsored community planning, documented in the Covelo/Round Valley Non-Motorized Needs Assessment and Engineered Feasibility Study report completed in January. In Covelo, the state highway serves as Main Street, with no developed shoulders, with drainage ditches close to the pavement edge. The purpose of the project is to reduce the potential for conflicts between bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicles within the SR-162 corridor north of the downtown core and increase mobility options in the community. Advertisement Phase I of the project will consist of two primary elements. A multipurpose Class I trail will be designed from the Howard Street junction at SR-162 to Biggar Lane. This will provide a non-motorized link between the Tribal Health Center and residences easterly on Biggar Lane, the Tribal Commerce Center, Tribal Performance Grounds and central Covelo. In the second element, a multipurpose Class I trail will extend westward, perpendicular to the SR-162 corridor trail along the south boundary of the Tribal Commerce Center to Henderson Lane. This trail will provide access to Covelo public schools and residential areas of northwest Covelo. Two other Mendocino County proposals also won grant awards. The city of Fort Bragg received $259,000 to complete the Chestnut Street Multi Use Facility, and the Mendocino County Health & Human Services Agency received $871,000 for safety and education projects in four local communities.