Highway 128, the iconic Wine Country road, to be designated scenic highway

The speed of life slows on Highway 128 around each 25 mph bend, past ranchlands dotted with grazing cows and under canopies of dense redwood forests as the quintessential North Bay road meanders nearly 140 miles from Yolo County west to the Mendocino Coast.

Between Calistoga and Geyserville, where the understated two-lane byway traverses Napa into Sonoma County, golden hillsides commingle with hearty families of oaks and manicured grids of grapes.

Motorists may want to down a Dramamine before embarking upon the curves that define the asphalt artery linking locals and tourists to the heart of the Wine Country.

But a new classification for this one-of-a-kind drive - with its views of Mount St. Helena and access to umpteen vineyards and tasting rooms between Winters and the mouth of the Navarro River - is what area lawmakers hope will better position the rural stretch on the map. A bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week allows the road to be designated as a California scenic highway, all but sealing its standing among some of the most iconic roads in the state.

“It’s a real treasure. People might really be surprised what we have to offer in Northern California,” said Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, who carried the bill with Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa. “It ranges from beautiful green hillsides in the fall to beautiful browns in the summertime, and you just see redwoods, grape growing and a plethora of scenic views along the way.”

The primary goal of her bill, AB 998, is to give the region a better chance at capturing more of the state’s annual tourism spending, which reached more than $140 billion in 2018. It would allow uniform signage along the road and ramped-up promotion to garner more interest from travelers, said Aguiar-Curry.

“I think it’ll be a boon, and positive impact on businesses out there that struggle,” she said. “That’s the importance to me, bringing economic development back to the areas like those hurt by the (seasonal) fires, such as Lake Berryessa, which closed businesses three years in a row around the Fourth of July. It’s time get these people back on their feet and get people to visit.”

The state designation is already bestowed upon more than 30 other highways, including parts of Highway 1. A portion of Highway 12 in Santa Rosa, as well as Highway 116 from near Highway 1 to south of Sebastopol, possess the tag. A stretch of Highway 29 near Vallejo is eligible but hasn’t finalized the process, according to Caltrans.

Motorcyclists Kelly Slater, 60, and Steve Montoya, 55, are already big fans of Highway 128. The longtime Santa Rosa residents sat back just off the road Thursday afternoon on a picnic at the Jimtown Store north of Healdsburg, enjoying a glass of pilsner and staring out over the open expanse.

The two catch up during a monthly ride to recount nearly 30 years of friendship after decades working together as Santa Rosa firefighters. Several times a year, they travel the same route on Highway 128 they once pedaled as cyclists, making a stop at their favored lunchtime spot.

“We transitioned from pedaling to motorcycling and I’m liking that a lot more,” joked Slater, who retired after 28 years with the fire department. “I am mellow out there in all of this that was created, and it helps me reconnect with my creator. It’s just marvelous, beautiful.”

Commuters can’t miss the Americana-themed bistro, with its rust orange ’55 Ford pickup out front, which still runs and doubles as its logo. Besides a meal, it’s the kind of place you can still buy an Abba-Zaba candy bar, or a slide whistle and Astro Pop for the kids a shelf away from locally-sourced honey and handcrafted bars of soap.

With her late husband, John Werner, owner Carrie Brown refashioned the abandoned, late-19th century general store in 1991. She said she likes to think of her Jimtown Store as a sanctuary for anyone seeking a bite to eat or a rest from driving or cycling, and hopes the scenic designation helps draw even more customers.

“That sounds brilliant,” said Brown, who is celebrating her 28th year in business. “When there are fires and floods, and no places to live, it’s very difficult, so we appreciate every bit of exposure.”

The designation, which also restricts certain types of development to protect the scenic views, still requires the four counties the road touches to produce separate proposals that must be approved by Caltrans. The restrictions proposed by each county must also go before the public before submission and potential sign-off by the state’s transportation department.

All four counties are expected to submit proposals to Caltrans, said Aguiar-Curry. State Sens. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, co-authored the bill in the Senate.

Cyclists Caroline and Danny Obrand, visiting from Montreal, took a break from the noon-hour sun Thursday to eat at the Jimtown Store. They finished sandwiches and a homemade brownie as daisies in a nearby planter shimmied and a hanging American flag danced in the light breeze.

Although Caroline Obrand, 53, said she hoped the new classification would help offer new funding to improve some of the roadway’s shoulders, the couple agreed that the cycling in Sonoma County, including stretches along Highway 128, met expectations.

It was at least as good as several bucket-list destinations where they’ve already ridden their bikes in Europe.

“In Canada, riding around California is a very sought-after thing to do. This is just gorgeous,” she said of their last day in town. “This is sort of what you do when you’re empty nesters. It’s been fun.”

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin Fixler at 707-521-5336 or kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kfixler.