Feds OK funds to fix storm-battered Valencia Road in Aptos

UPDATE 3/9/17 10:07 p.m.: Valencia Road in Aptos is one of five sites on Santa Cruz County’s priority list after winter storms hit the central coast, and it’s the first one to receive federal funding.

A failed culvert caused a portion of the road near Valencia Elementary School to collapse in January.
Since then, students have had to relocate to a different school. Some neighbors are forced to take detours through mountain roads that also need repairs, making their commute longer and riskier.

“I was very close to a head-on accident just a weekend after it went out here, and a few nights ago, I was almost in one myself. I went around the bend, someone was coming at me (while) trying to pass a bicyclist a little late in the road and I screeched and almost run off the road,” said Bob Kuhn, who lives by the road closure.

The county said it was a community effort to get federal funding for this repair.

“We had kids from Valencia school handwriting hundreds of letters to Caltrans and (the Federal Highway Administration) saying please help us get back to our school, please reopen this road,” said county Supervisor Zach Friend. “I really do believe these personal stories had a significant impact in expediting the process.”

Construction will begin after California Department of Fish and Wildlife approves the type of culvert that will replace the failed one.

But more work is ahead as the county estimates recent storms caused more than $70 million in road damages. The governor declared a second emergency for the area Wednesday to allow state funding and for the county to apply for other federal grants for more repairs.

PREVIOUS STORY: Federal funds have been approved to fix a portion of Valencia Road in Aptos that’s been closed since the end of January because of recent winter storm damage, according to Santa Cruz County.

On Thursday, the county announced $4 million is granted from the Federal Highway Administration to make the repairs necessary to re-open the road that’s been closed since January 23.

Students, parents and educators at Valencia Elementary School had to be relocated because of the closure.

The county said Valencia Road was identified as one of the five priority sites for immediate response and repair. However, there isn’t an estimated completion date yet.

County leaders said a schedule to repair the road is being examined and staff are negotiating with agencies to do the work.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta also paid a visit to get a look at the damage in February, vowing to expedite the request for federal funds.

County leaders said recent winter storms caused more than $70 million in road damage throughout Santa Cruz County.