San Rafael, CA – With spring in full swing and summer officially around the corner, the Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) is gearing up for a busy paving season. One such project will take place in Kentfield on McAllister Avenue. The half-mile stretch of road is a thoroughfare for parents and students when Anthony G. Bacich Elementary School and A.E. Kent Middle School are in session.
Chronic puddling along McAllister Avenue during the rainy season will be addressed with this summer's project. The $820,000 improvement project will be handled by Argonaut Constructors, who will repave the entire length of McAllister Avenue and fix a deficient section of sidewalk from Berens Drive to Bacich Elementary School. The project is scheduled to begin June 19 and expected to be completed by early September. Timing of the construction is tight because of the necessity of completing the project while the two nearby schools are out for summer break.
Aside from repaving the roadway to help facilitate vehicle traffic, the improvements to the corridor will provide safety and accessibility enhancements for pedestrians. Historically there is heavy foot traffic from students along McAllister Avenue. However, because of the street’s substandard sidewalk height and insufficient drainage, stormwater problems arise during the rainy season and can result in students walking in the middle of the road to avoid the ponding. This project will alleviate minor flooding of the sidewalk from high tides and moderate storm events by increasing the sidewalk elevation to the modern standard of six inches as well as implementing localized drainage improvements.
Throughout the 18-month design process, DPW coordinated with Marin County District 2 Supervisor Katie Rice, Kentfield Safe Routes Taskforce, McAllister Safe Streets committee, various utility agencies and both schools to ensure that the improvement project satisfied the needs of all the corridor’s users.
This project is the second phase to the work that began last summer addressing issues with McAllister Avenue. Last year’s work included a new sidewalk on the west end of McAllister, between Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Stadium Avenue, at the cost of $120,000. It was designed to increase safety for pedestrian traffic, encourage usage of the crosswalk and add accessibility features.
“There has been positive feedback from residents near that location about how pedestrians, particularly young students, are now using the new section to safely navigate that stretch of roadway,” said Eric Miller, DPW Associate Civil Engineer.