Monte Rio community up in arms over roadway washouts; county promises repairs this year

West county residents on and near Moscow Road in Monte Rio are fed up, particularly those who live in Villa Grande — a community that is now sandwiched between two washed out sections of roadway.

They’ve been frustrated, disappointed and angry at what they perceive as government inaction since floodwaters wiped out a one-lane section of Moscow Road near Casini Ranch in 2019. When flooding earlier this year washed away another one-lane segment just 1.6 miles to the east, their patience completely eroded.

Access into the Villa Grande community, which sits just south of a sharp bend in the Russian River, is currently completely blocked at the washout near Casini Ranch Family Campground and restricted to a narrow, 10.5-foot wide lane at the newest washout. Residents say they’re worried about access and escape during an emergency.

What’s more, the January washout forced the local water agency to shut down an 8-inch water line that has left local fire hydrants without enough water pressure to fight fires. Firefighters would have to truck in their water supply.

“Why isn’t this being considered an emergency? We have to make it clear that this is an emergency,” said Kyla Brooke, president of the Friends of Villa Grande, a nonprofit neighborhood association.

On Tuesday, more than a dozen Villa Grande neighbors gathered at the West Street home of Sukey Robb-Wilder, a member of Friends of Villa Grande, to discuss their concerns. The meeting offered a glimpse of the neighborhood frustrations ahead of a community meeting planned for Saturday morning at Monte Rio Community Center.

Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, whose 5th District includes Villa Grande and the rest of the Russian River Corridor, is expected to attend the meeting, along with Johannes Hoevertsz, director of Sonoma County Public Infrastructure.

Hopkins and Hoevertsz on Tuesday said they sympathized with neighbors’ frustrations and gave assurances that they are doing everything they can to make sure repairs on both slides begin this year. Both blamed the Federal Emergency Management Agency for delaying repairs on the 2019 washout.

Hoevertzsz said county staff have been working with FEMA “diligently” since 2019 and were on the verge of putting the project out to bid on Jan. 28 when the county was hammered by repeated atmospheric rivers that once again brought the river above flood stage and further damaged Moscow Road.

A towering redwood tree on the north (river) side of the road fell into the river and caused floodwaters to flow around the massive trunk, toward the road. The water cut into the earth that supported the roadway, which eventually failed. The 2019 washout occurred at a section of Moscow Road that goes over a culvert that failed due to flooding that was even worse than this year’s.

Hoevertsz said that after the more recent roadway failure, he told Hopkins they could not wait or rely on FEMA funds to get repairs started.

“We cannot wait for FEMA to take another four years to fix that site,” Hoevertsz said Tuesday. “That is completely unacceptable … the neighbors have valid concerns to be worried.”

Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman, who attended the neighborhood meeting Tuesday, echoed concerns about access in and out of the community. Baxman said a 2-inch water line that’s operating in lieu of the 8-inch line only produces about 100 to 200 gallons a minute, far less than the up to 1,000 gallons yielded by the larger line.

Baxman said it appears that the newest washout is further degrading because of recent storms. The road into Villa Grande at the washout is at most 10.5 feet wide, he said. On Tuesday, Monte Rio firefighters carefully drove a fire truck — which is 8 feet wide — past the washout, which is lined by concrete barricades.

“There’s no room for error here,” he said.

Hoevertsz said he’s waiting for FEMA funds to begin repairs at both sites.

The repairs on 2019 damage, which includes a smaller slide near the 2023 washout, are expected to cost $2 million, he said.

County supervisors, he said, have already authorized his agency to borrow funds from a $13 million pot of money used for the county refuse division. That job will require construction of a bridge and new culvert, he said.

The more recent washout will cost $1.5 million for a retaining wall and new roadway, he added. Funds for that project will come from the county road funds, he said. He said the county will go forward without the assurance of FEMA reimbursement.

Supervisor Hopkins said she understands residents’ frustration. She said repairing Moscow road is “a top priority for her” and she’s met with Hoevertsz many times since the January flooding.

“We are poised to execute one of our fastest major road repairs,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said her district is home to 40% of the county’s roadways. Many of them, like Moscow Road, were former logging roads that were paved over.

“For years, road repaving in the 5th district has been drastically underfunded,” she said.

Hopkins said that while her district now receives a proportional share of county roadway funding, “We’re still playing catch up. We have a tremendous backlog of work.”

“Our biggest problem is FEMA,” she said. “The process is extremely slow and they attempt to deny you at every possible opportunity.”

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.