Letter: Thanks CalTrans, For the End of a Death Trap

[Sonoma Patch would love your 300-word letters to the editor. .]

By Michael Millerick

The intersection of Broadway and Hwy. 121 four miles south of town in Schellville has taken the lives of at least nine people in the last decade.* With no traffic control, it's not surprising. There is only a merging lane from Hwy 12 onto Hwy. 121 heading toward the Bay Area, and a left turn lane from Hwy.121 onto Hwy. 12 coming into Sonoma.

Those of us who have lived here a while, know how dangerous the intersection is. 

The danger will come to an end by the fall of next year, as Caltrans works to transform the intersection into a three way stop light.

About four years ago Becky Larson of _Larson Family Winery_ and I began a campaign to have Caltrans fund and complete the conversion to stop lights at the intersection. The Larson's winery is on Millerick Rd. at the end of Broadway, and Becky's was concerned that the intersection was not only unsafe for merging traffic, but for anyone trying to turn onto Millerick road from Broadway. 

"Millerick Road" is named after the Millerick family and the Millerick Brother's Rodeo and Stock company which operated on the ranch where Larson's winery is now located for half a century. Becky Larson's husband Tom's mother is a "Millerick' in that she is Jim Millerick's sister. Jim and "Cissy" Larson grew up on the ranch and Jim Millerick operated the rodeo and stock business after his Uncle, Jack Millerick died in 1946.

My family lived just up from the intersection right at the Y of Broadway to Freemont Dr. for 40 years. And I remember well many of the tragic accidents which happened at the intersection just 200 yards from our driveway.  I joined with my cousin Becky Larson to run interference with the state bureaucrats and the reluctant Schell Vista Fire Commission.

Four years, several meetings, and countless emails: this month the construction preparation begins on the $4 million dollar project, which will be completed by October of next year.

A great deal of credit and praise to Eric Schen of Cal Trans for his consistent efforts to keep interested parties informed, negotiating with the Schell Vista Fire Commission (who lost a fireman residence due to the project) and being patient and cordial throughout the process of getting the project started. 

Nine deaths in the last decade at that intersection. It can be said, likely, at least nine lives will be saved over the next decade with the installation of the stoplights.

This project by Caltrans shows it does have concern for the safety of California's citizens and is to be thanked. 

*Patch has attempted to verify this statement, but have not receieved a return call from Caltrans.