The City of Watsonville is celebrating a major milestone in pedestrian and bicycle safety with the groundbreaking of the Safer Access to Pajaro Valley High School & Beyond Project. The final product will widen the Harkins Slough Road overpass over Highway 1 to add bicycle lanes and a wider sidewalk separated from vehicle traffic.
A groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 29 drew city officials, representatives from Caltrans, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and a group of students from PV High.
“When SB1 was passed in 2017 by the state legislature, that put in place what was overall known as SB1,” said Patrice Theriot, Principal Engineer of the City of Watsonville. “It funded, in addition to roadway improvements, pedestrian and bicycle facilities. And this checked all the boxes for pedestrian safety and bicycles.”
The project was funded by an $11.7 million state Active Transportation Program grant awarded in 2020.
Additional improvements include separated bike lanes along Green Valley Road, ADA-compliant curb ramps at seven local schools, high-visibility crosswalks, and the relocation of a sanitary sewer line serving Pajaro Valley High School.
“Every student deserves a safe way to get to and from school, and this project is an important investment in their safety,” said City Manager Tamara Vides.
Construction will be led by Granite Construction and is expected to take about a year. Residents and motorists should anticipate construction activity in the area and use caution when traveling near the work zone.
“We’re excited to see this project move into construction after years of work behind the scenes,” said Public Works and Utilities Director Danielle Green. “A lot of coordination has gone into getting us to this point, and we’re looking forward to delivering improvements that will serve our students and community for years to come.”
The project will feature more than a mile of bike lanes on Harkins Slough and Green Valley roads plus 300 feet of new sidewalks with a concrete barrier for protection. Theriot said about 1,500 students walk on the existing sidewalk each school day.
Construction is now underway near the corner of Silver Leaf Drive and Green Valley Road (beside the former Motel 6).
