The subject of widening the main road through down – California Highway 1 – is one of our community’s hot button topics. The traffic on the road – from the north end of Santa Cruz clear down to the city of Watsonville – is so congested that it can take as much as an hour to travel the seven miles or so from the “fish hook” to Freedom Boulevard.
In November 2016, residents of Santa Cruz county approved Measure D which will increase the sales tax by 1/2 percent for 30 years, with the funds raised support and improve a number of transportation systems in the county. Specifically, 25% of the money raised is to be used for “Highway Corridors” (Highway 17 and Highway 1).
It is estimated that Highway 1 would receive $97,000,000 for auxiliary merge lanes at:
- Soquel Drive and 41st Avenue
- Bay Ave/Porter St and Park Avenue
- Park Avenue and State Park Drive