The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has green-lit the construction of designated bike lanes on Arnold Drive in the Sonoma Valley, a move poised to enhance safety and encourage sustainable transportation. The stretch between Country Club Drive and Madrone Road will see the addition of roughly two miles of on-road bicycle lanes, with work expected to start in 2025. According to the County of Sonoma website, this initiative underlines the County's commitment to zero-emission transport and the principles laid out in the Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.
District 1 Supervisor Susan Gorin, representing Sonoma Valley, hailed the approval as a significant achievement. "This project is the culmination of years of deliberation, persistence and creative problem-solving," Gorin said to the County of Sonoma website. Emphasizing the endeavor's importance, she added, "Finally, Sonoma Valley residents and visitors can enjoy healthy recreation and zero-emission transportation along this busy stretch of Arnold Drive with comfort, safety and confidence."
In an environmentally conscious step, the Board also approved the initial environmental study as required by the California Environmental Quality Act, confirming that the bike lane project will not significantly impact the surrounding natural environment. Despite necessitating the removal of some trees for the bike lanes, the plans include planting replacement native species to maintain ecological balance. This strategy echoes the Board's previous commitment, established with the design contract approved in July 2021, to preserve the existing trees wherever possible.
The upcoming Arnold Drive bike lanes conceptualized as being 5 feet wide and with a painted buffer, will call for comprehensive enhancements. These improvements list road widening, paving, signage and striping upgrades, storm drainage systems, and utility relocations. Amid preparations to secure slope easements and temporary construction easements, the final design and the contracting process will again come before the Board in future meetings for final approval. Despite rising construction costs that have bumped the project's estimate to $5 million, the Department of Public Infrastructure is searching for additional funds to offset these increases and deliver on the project's promise.