WATSONVILLE—A long-awaited major street and sidewalk improvement project on a block of Lincoln Street that bisects Watsonville High School is moving forward.
The state-funded Lincoln Street Safety Improvement Project will shorten crosswalks, make the sidewalks ADA compliant, and add a mid-block crosswalk, additional lighting, new curbs, gutters and landscaping. Original plans—approved in 2017 by the California Transportation Commission—also included the installation of new bike racks.
The project won’t wrap up in time for the start of the school year on Aug. 12, said Patrice Theriot, principal engineer for the city of Watsonville.
“What we are doing is trying to improve the crossing,” she said. “We’re putting in new ramps by the gym corner, at the corner of Maple Street to shorten up the crossing and slow people down. We’re also creating a new mid-block crossing between Maple and East Beach Street.
The project will also include an unconventional colorful addition: “One of the cool things they’re doing is putting down a large Willie the Wildcat logo on the street,” Theriot said.
Work also calls for grinding off some of the existing paving that is “too steep,” Theriot said.
Theriot added that students will be involved with the landscaping phase of the job.
“This is a way to get students involved—a joint venture between Watsonville High School and the city,” Theriot said.
A giant hurdle with the project, Theriot said, is a spike of material costs during the pandemic. Concrete, wood, electrical, plumbing—building goods have increased dramatically in cost.
“All the materials have gone up 25%,” Theriot said. “Bidding was very high for this project.”
The construction is one of several projects underway this summer at Pajaro Valley Unified School District schools. Another major project is the athletic field renovation at nearby E.A. Hall Middle School, which began this week.
