Area Residents Against Yuba Highway Plan
I’m Ed Smith, a Yuba City-Marysville car accident lawyer. Caltrans has proposed a construction plan to reduce the number of serious accidents that take place on Highway 70, a road well-known for its high rate of injury causing car accidents. Last year, one area resident even went so far as to buy a billboard along the highway that read “Blood Alley – Slow Down” in an effort to make the roadway safer. Caltrans says that their plan will improve safety, but residents say that the new construction will only cause more car accidents and are calling for CalTrans to look at alternative solutions to the problem.
The Plan
The proposed plan would widen Highway 70 from the Yuba/Butte County line to Laurellen Road at the northern end of Marysville. In addition to multiple small improvements, the project includes plans to widen and pave highway shoulders as well as add a non-stop left-hand turn lane in the middle of the roadway. The total cost for this project is projected to be about $104.5 million in state and federal funds.
The project has already received funding and is currently waiting to be approved by local officials. Caltrans has stated that they expect to begin advertising the plan in July 2020 and to start building before the year ends.
Opposition
The District 10 Committee (D10), which includes residents of the affected area, opposes the plan. Pamela Warmack, the chair of the local Keep 70 Safe Committee and D10 member, said that D10 agrees with CalTrans that safety improvements can aid in the reduction of accidents. However, Warmack stated that D10 believes the best way to make these improvements is to widen shoulders, make left-turn pockets, add roadway signage, and increase CHP patrols in the area.
D10 opposes the CalTrans plan for multiple reasons. Most concerns come from a proposal included in the project to expand the highway from three to five lanes. D10 members say adding lanes would result in area residents losing residential property as well as valuable farmland. Warmack noted that the project would affect more than 200 roads, storefronts, and driveways.
Warmack also noted that the accident rates could even increase as the result of adding lanes, creating cross-traffic, and increasing the speed limit on the highway.
Dangerous Roads
In many accidents, it is clear that a driver was at fault. However, sometimes accidents can be caused by dangers of the road itself. In these cases, government entities may be liable to pay for damages that defects in the road have caused. Roadway defects that frequently have a part in causing serious injuries include large potholes, a lack of signage, poor visibility, and more. However, claiming money in these cases isn’t the same as with a reckless driver. There are specific timelines and paperwork that need to be handled and those seeking money for a road defect claim should talk to an experienced car accident lawyer.
More by Ed Smith, Yuba City Car Accident Lawyer
- Yuba City Man Majorly Injured in Fatality Collision
- How can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?
- Yuba City Car Crash Statistics
Yuba City Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Yuba City car accident lawyer. Accidents can cause expensive medical bills due to injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a collision, dial (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly, free legal advice regarding your options. You can also reach me at AutoAccident.com.
I’ve practiced both wrongful death and serious personal injury law in Yuba City-Marysville for more than 36 years.
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Picture: “highway view” by Greg_W through cc-0_Unsplash
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