Stony Point Road overhaul begins, affecting thousands of Sonoma County commuters

Construction work is underway on a section of Stony Point Road in Santa Rosa that has long been a source of frustration for motorists and pedestrians, including for kids and parents walking to schools.

“This is my sixth year here, and I’ve heard repeatedly from parent groups their concerns about safety,” said Lori Pola Hoard, principal at R.L. Stevens Elementary school.

The section of Stony Point Road from Sebastopol Road to just south of Hearn Avenue also is popular with commuters avoiding Highway 101.

On Monday, crews began initial work on upgrades to Stony Point, which will include adding travel lanes in both directions, continuous sidewalks, bicycle lanes, improved traffic signals and crosswalk improvements.

The construction work is the final phase of a ?$32 million widening project along a 1.25-mile stretch of Stony Point from Highway 12 to near Hearn Avenue. The current stage is expected to wrap up in December 2016.

On Stony Point near R.L. Stevens on Monday, traffic controls were in place while crews dug into the roadway to verify the location of underground utilities. Pola Hoard said some parents have voiced concerns about the timing of the work with the start of the new school year.

But she said parents are hoping it all amounts to “short-term pain for hopefully long-term gain.”

The school uses a crossing guard in the mornings to help kids and parents get across Stony Point Road safely. Adding additional lanes in both directions won’t necessarily make that journey any less challenging. But Pola Hoard said she hopes the changes could help in other ways.

“I think people get frustrated because it gets very clogged up” on Stony Point Road, she said.

Further north on Lazzini Avenue, Gary and Jeanette Fields said they are looking forward to the installation of a traffic light at the intersection with Stony Point.

“That will help out quite a bit,” Gary Fields said at the couple’s home Monday. “Making a left turn out of here is almost impossible.”

City officials estimate that about 50,000 vehicles travel Stony Point in the area of the construction, with traffic heaviest during commute hours. The road is a popular alternative to Highway 101 for those going to Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa.

Residents can stay on top of the construction by visiting www.stonypointroad.com or using Twitter @SR_PublicWorks. There’s also a Facebook page dedicated to Stony Point Road.

The city also has dedicated a hotline people can call with questions or concerns: 535-0799.

The widening project has been in the works since at least 2009. Of the $32 million budgeted, ?$11 million is coming from redevelopment funds and another $17 million from Southwest Area impact fees. Funds from Measure M amounted to another $1.2 million.

Median barriers planted with trees and other foliage will separate north and southbound traffic lanes, with pockets for making left turns. New crosswalks with pedestrian-activated overhead lights will be installed at Mesa Way and Roseland Creek.

Sidewalks separated from the road by planting strips will run the length of Stony Point Road to near Hearn Avenue. Bicycle lanes also will be added.

“There are large gaps in the sidewalk along the corridor. This will fill in those gaps,” said Clay Thistle, a city engineer and the project’s manager.

Traffic controls and detours will be enforced during the construction. Crews also will work at night to minimize impacts during peak commute hours, Thistle said.

The work is being done by Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc. of Concord, which was awarded the $10 million contract after submitting the lowest ?bid.

You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@press?democrat.com. On Twitter ?@deadlinederek.