PLEASE COME to Gualala Arts at 6 pm Thursday (5/18) as CalTrans and GMAC present the updated Streetscape plan for Downtown Gualala. They will show the plan, answer your questions, and hear your comments.

Save Gualala strongly supports this plan because it includes all elements requested by our members in the petition we launched in 2019.   Gualala MAC members endorsed the plan at a Special Meeting in April.  Detailed sketches of the plan are available in advance at: https://tinyurl.com/Hwy1Plan . 

If you cannot attend in person, PLEASE show your support by sending an email with your comments to GMAC Chairman Robert Juengling at Robert@OceanicLand.com AND to SaveGualala@Gmail.com. Please include your name and zip code (eg: 95445 for Gualala, 95468 for Pt. Arena, or 95497 for Sea Ranch.

The much-improved plan retains the charm of downtown Gualala while adding vital safety improvements and native landscaping. The Gualala Town Plan (which is also our Coastal Plan) requires Hwy 1 to be “a scenic element of the Gualala townscape” with landscaping, sidewalks, more crosswalks, bike lanes, and a roadway that reflects the natural surroundings while reducing congestion. 

The revised plan reflects two decades of community discussion, including detailed input from the Caltrans survey of local residents. It was developed by Caltrans in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, the Mendocino Council of Governments, GMAC, and many community members.

The California Transportation Commission has allocated nearly $10 million through a highly competitive statewide grant program to build this project. It’s important for Gualala-area residents to show support now or risk losing the grant.

The new design will greatly benefit local businesses and their employees – particularly hotels, retail stores, and restaurants. It encourages visitors to slow down, park near stores, and walk (or bike) around town instead of speeding through. It will also reduce the risk of rear-end accidents.