Some Solano County roads to remain closed for weeks due to storm damage
SOLANO COUNTY -- The Solano County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday received an update on storm impacts as the county continues to seek funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support individual assistance.
Mix Canyon and Gates Canyon roads at Pleasants Valley Road are expected to be closed for about a month due to mudslides, said county Engineering Manager Matt Tuggle.
Tuggle said notices were being sent out Tuesday to residents in the area to alert them to limited access options during the closures.
"If you see the slides, they're pretty nasty up there, so, it's going to take us a little bit of time to get that together," said Tuggle.
He said contract bids have opened for the emergency work, which will be performed seven days a week. He said the closure was necessary for structural repairs to downslope areas.
The county is encouraging residents to fill out a survey estimating costs and impacts from the recent storm series so that additional FEMA funding can be sought, said Assistant Emergency Services Manager Robyn Rains, who also said residents should continue to file claims with their primary insurer.
The survey, along with information about future storm preparedness, is available at solanocounty.com/stormready.
Throughout the atmospheric river storm series that lasted from Dec. 26 to Jan. 19, more than 300 areas in the county had "flooded" signs posted, contributing to more than 30 road closures at the height of the storms, according to Kacy Bowers, the county's public works operations manager. County emergency workers cleared 44 mudslides and identified 84 sites at one point that needed tree or debris removal, which he estimated would take about a month.
Bowers said resource management crews transitioned to emergency schedules on Jan. 4 for about a week and a half.
"They did a tremendous job, responding, working 24 hours" he said.
Supervisor John Vasquez agreed.
"All of us were sitting in our homes nice and comfortable while these individuals were out there clearing roadways, clearing ditches, cutting trees down. Again, that's what public works people do, and our crew did a really good job," Vasquez said.