Dear Neighbors and Friends of Gualala,
Thanks to your support for the Save Gualala petition, we all have reason to be “cautiously optimistic” as Caltrans prepares to release a new Streetscape proposal in mid-December. However, your voice is still needed to tell Caltrans what we want Gualala to look like for the next 50 years.
We’re “optimistic” because Caltrans now promises the highway plan will include native landscaping, “pedestrian walkways,” bike paths for kids and seniors, and left-turn pockets or interim parking if needed. These were all demands in our petition that are consistent with the Gualala Town Plan.
Yet we’re still “cautious” because Caltrans hasn’t yet explained the options for parking or road width, which are critical to preserving Gualala’s small-town charm.
While all plans still include two “travel” lanes, a big question remains about paved lanes for parking and turning. The last engineering drafts from Caltrans in July showed two additional lanes for a total of four paved lanes through Downtown Gualala – a violation of the Town Plan. Save Gualala supports one lane for turns or interim parking – a total of just three lanes as the Town Plan requires.
YOU’LL DECIDE how much of our downtown will be paved over in this project – four lanes or three? Caltrans will release details of the latest proposal sometime in mid-December along with a survey to gather your opinions. It will also hold a virtual Town Meeting in January to select the final option.
Here are 3 simple ways you can Save Gualala:
1. Sign the Petition: Over 1,250 of you already signed the petition at Change.org/SaveGualala and 90 have added comments that made a real difference. If you haven’t signed yet, please do. We’ll forward all your opinions to Caltrans.
2. Get Caltrans Alerts: If you already wrote to Caltrans, you should have gotten two emails last week about its plans. If not, write to Caltrans NOW at GualalaDowntown@DOT.Ca.gov to express your preferences and to tell them you want to see the plan, take the survey, and attend the Virtual Town Hall. Plan to be in the meeting by phone or computer from 5-7 pm on Jan. 14, 2021.
3. Spread the word! Tell your neighbors, friends, and family members to get updates through Facebook.com/SaveGualala and Caltrans. Got questions? Want to help? Contact us at SaveGualala@gmail.com.
Thank you! Together, we can Save Gualala.