Martinez outlines safety upgrades, consultant study for Hidden Valley Elementary routes

Martinez public works officials presented recent safety improvements near Hidden Valley Elementary and outlined a consultant-led plan to identify additional measures after the city won a grant under the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All program.

"We have been able to implement several improvements in the immediate vicinity of Hidden Valley," Public Works Director Joe Inke said, listing curb ramps at Glacier and Spring Lake and Glacier and Eagle Lake Drive, new high-visibility ladder crosswalks at the Center–Glacier intersection, flashing feedback signs at stop signs, a new curb island to protect pedestrians, a buffered bike lane on Center and a rectangular rapid flashing beacon at Redwood Drive. He said a speed feedback sign will be installed opposite Hidden Valley Park.

The city adopted a Local Road Safety Plan in March 2024 and received SS4A funding to develop a Vulnerable Road User Safety Plan with consultant Advanced Mobility Group (AMG). AMG will extend community outreach at schools, map suggested walking and biking routes within a half-mile of campuses and produce conceptual engineering drawings for prioritized intersections and streets, Inke said.

A parent who spoke during public comment described recurring speeding, vehicles running crosswalks and the difficulty of vehicular circulation at the school’s dead-end campus. "Our kids have had a great experience so far," the parent said, "but we'd like to reiterate…there's a particular stretch of road where people pick up a lot of speed."

Council members and trustees discussed whether to open Spring Lake Drive, a residential connector that has been gated for roughly three decades. "It would likely generate a lot of heartburn for those residents," Council Member Satinder Mahi said, noting the option of temporary openings during drop-off and pickup hours as one possibility AMG could evaluate.

Officials also cited stepped-up enforcement by the Martinez Police Department and the continuing role of crossing guards and school staff in managing peak-period traffic. Several speakers emphasized that parent arrival behavior contributes to congestion, and city staff asked parents and school staff to mark problem intersections on a half-mile map that AMG will use for its analysis.

The city indicated additional outreach — including school visits and town halls — will follow as AMG prepares recommended countermeasures. No formal policy or funding decisions were made at the meeting; implementation will depend on the consultant’s recommendations and available capital funding.