THANK YOU! 
After you and 1,280 of our friends and neighbors signed Save Gualala’s petition, Caltrans scaled back its plan for our quiet downtown from four lanes to three. As we asked, they’ve added landscaping to reflect the natural surroundings of Gualala, included the important safety features we demanded, and provided TWO new options to retain interim parking for our businesses.  But this battle isn’t over!

WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW to make sure Caltrans carries through with these plans. The agency has posted a survey that could either confirm the plans or send the entire planning process back to Square One and undo 25 years of careful community planning.  PLEASE use your voice once more to confirm what we want!

Caltrans has offered several options, including Alternatives 4A and 4B that include what we’ve requested.  Both 4A and 4B feature a three-lane roadway, including 2 travel lanes and a third lane that allows interim parking or turn pockets where needed. Both include devices to keep traffic speeds down. Both include sidewalks and bike paths to keep our kids, seniors and visitors safe. And both include low-maintenance landscaping on each side of the highway. All of these things are good for our residents, our businesses, our visitors, and our town.

Caltrans engineers have determined a turn pocket is needed for safety at Sundstrom and Surf shopping centers. As a result, there is no highway parking there. However, Caltrans proposed interim parking in other areas. The only difference between 4A and 4B is whether parking from Church St. to Ocean Dr. is on the East side of the highway (A) or the West (B).  To be clear, we feel both are basically good plans.

Save Gualala endorses Alternative 4A for two reasons: First, businesses on the West generally already have substantial off-highway parking lots, but businesses on the East have less parking.  Second, businesses on the West would get improved curb appeal with Alternative 4A because they'd be more visible to passing visitors and pedestrians.   

You can see and hear background and details of the plans in a 43-minute Caltrans video at TinyURL.com/GualalaDowntown .  Details will also be covered at a Jan. 14 Caltrans Town Meeting. (See:
Caltrans.ca.gov/GualalaDowntown)

IMPORTANT: After you review the plans, please fill out the Caltrans survey at TinyURL.com/GualalaSurvey before Jan. 29. 

Your voice will help keep this plan on track. Please be sure to select all the options in 4A, including:

·         Landscaping through the entire downtown area

·         Sidewalks, bike paths and speed controls to enhance safety

·         Interim parking from Church to Ocean on the east

·         A turn pocket near the Sundstrom/Surf Center entrances.

THANK YOU for your continued support!!  We’ve made a lot of progress, so let’s not drop the ball now.