Tam Valley Traffic Lights: One Goes Live Wednesday, the Other Delayed 'a Couple of Months'

Tam Valley residents and bicyclists and pedestrians in the area who have been clamoring for safety improvements along Shoreline Highway have some good news coming their way this week.

They also have yet another round frustration-inducing delay, however.

The good news: Caltrans and the county of Marin are set to flip the switch Wednesday on the long-awaited traffic signal at Shoreline Hwy. and Flamingo Rd., a project that dates back more than 14 years to the approval of Walgreens at 227 Shoreline Highway. The $525,000 project was delayed for years due to Caltrans review and budget shortfalls.

The bad news?

Although the design, funding and approval of the long-delayed, $3.4 million Tennessee Valley Pathway project was nailed down in the fall of 2011, that project won't be finished "for a couple of months," according to Ernest Klock, principal civil engineer with Marin County Public Works.

Klock said that although the lion's share of the project is complete, the traffic signal at the intersection – a vital component of the project – is the subject of a standoff of sorts between the county and Caltrans over the latter's design standards for the intersection.

Klock said there are eight design-related problems Caltrans has with the county's portion of the project, varying from the location of the light poles to the ADA compliance of the crosswalk across Tennessee Valley Road. He said the parties are trying to sort through the differences.

"If Caltrans works with us on those issues, they could turn (the light) on tomorrow," Klock said of the traffic signal. "They could be relieving us of some of our design requirements. If Caltrans won't budge, he said, "It's back to drawing board for us," and thus a delay of a couple of months.

Caltrans spokesman Steve Williams did not return requests for comment on the matter.

The traffic signal at Tennessee Valley Rd. is part of the $4.6 million Tennessee-Manzanita Pathway, a multi-faceted project that seeks to connect the Mill Valley-Sausalito multi-use path, Tennessee Valley Road and Tam Junction for bicyclists and pedestrians. It includes the installation in June of a 100-foot bike and pedestrian bridge across Coyote Creek, as well as a raised boardwalk along Coyote Creek that allows for safe passage during high tide on both sides of Shoreline Hwy. and an offshoot path near Frantoio Ristorante connecting the path to Shoreline closer to Hwy.101, near the Manzanita Park & Ride.

At Shoreline and Flamingo, things are moving quickly. PG&E shut down power to 70 residents near the intersection last Friday afternoon for approximately four hours as the light pole was erected, according to PG&E spokesperson Brittany McKannay.

Klock said the light is expected to go live Wednesday.

The traffic signal at Flamingo Rd. was a condition of approval when the Marin County Planning Commission approved the construction of Walgreens at 227 Shoreline Hwy. in December 1998. The $525,000 project was delayed for years due to Caltrans review and budget shortfalls.

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