Hey - it’s late.
As you might have guessed, I had a long Mother’s Day.
But that is my dedication to you all - still here, still getting these Monday Town Notes out. So apologies in advance for any misspellings, weird phrases, or general dead-brain energy.
But the show must go on.
Napa Lowdown trivia:
About how much cheaper is a basic overtime parking ticket in Napa than an overtime meter ticket in San Francisco?
A. $20
B. $40
C. $60
D. $80
Why The Roads Are Getting Annoying
Ok, so what’s been top of mind for me is construction - and I’m sure for a lot of you too.
Trancas was absolutely brutal last week, so I think this deserves a section. I really should have heeded my own advice from earlier this month…
But it’s one of those things where you read “expect delays” and go, yeah yeah, traffic is going to be bad, cool. Then you’re sitting in your car in 80 degrees moving an inch at a time thinking, maybe I could have paid more attention.
So here’s the construction stuff (again) I’d actually keep in your head for the next month:
Trancas Rehabilitation - This was the big one. But it’s finally over! They are done placing that 2.5-inch asphalt overlay. Party on!
California Boulevard paving - Also over! This was the striping layout from Clay Street to Trancas Street.
First Street Phase II / old Kohl’s redevelopment - This one is still going strong and causing some delays (but not as serious as the previous two) Expect 5-10 min. delays max in and around that area.
SR-29 overnight Caltrans work - This is a separate state project and it is active March 29 through May 31, Sunday-Thursday, 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Caltrans says it covers SR-29 between the Napa River bridge and Trancas Street for guardrail replacement / concrete barrier work.
SR-121 overnight Caltrans work - Also active March 29 through May 31, Sunday-Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This one is on SR-121 between Vichy Avenue and Wooden Valley Road for sign upgrades and visibility improvements.
So we got through the worst of the construction traffic in town. High fives all around! But there are still some things on our state highways you should be aware of.
An Old Site Gets Bright Future
In a previous Monday Town Notes, we talked about the old Harvest Middle School site, which the City of Napa purchased for $25 million.
What I did not remember and really caught me off guard was what it was actually going to be for…
Recently the City Council approved just under 1.5m with Noll & Tam Architects for planning and design services for…drum roll please…a New Public Recreation & Aquatic Center Project.
Not this is something that is still feels a few years out - as they are only now starting project start-up, community engagement, design alternatives, concept design, and a phased project approach.
But, this proposal actually does feel like something Napa could use. I know we are close to the beach and all, but a lot of towns do have some sort of dedicated lap swimming area or aquatic facility.
Right now, our options are yes, the gym membership clubs, which are fine. But a dedicated public-facing facility would probably be a pretty big deal for the swimmers in town.
Napa Picks Up Another Big City Habit
Here’s something that stood out to me in the latest City Council agenda:
Napa is set to approve a $300,000 agreement with Data Ticket Inc. to handle parking citation processing and permit management services.
So here’s the deal…in the grand scheme of things, it is not like we are San Francisco. This is not some giant urban parking nightmare.Which is kind of why it feels annoying.
In my opinion, Napa really does not need to lean that hard into parking enforcement, and it is one of the more annoying ways for a city to go looking for revenue.
And as an FYI to you all - I have definitely noticed an uptick in parking tickets lately (especially in that Farmers Market lot).
That used to be one of those spots where, outside of Tuesday, you were pretty much fine. Even in the actual dedicated commercial lot (not where the farmer’s market is) it never really felt like a place you had to think twice about. But now, I’ve been seeing people get ticketed and ticketing enforcers circling around.
Coincidence with this deal? Maybe, maybe not. But either way, be aware of it and save yourself the huge annoyance.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week.
A little construction cleanup, a little cautious optimism on the old Harvest site, and one reminder not to get too casual with parking right now.
And the answer to the trivia: C. $60. A basic overtime parking ticket in Napa is about $60 cheaper than the comparable one in San Francisco (around $30 compared to $90). So yes, it could be worse. Still annoying though.
If you know someone who is commuting those roads we mentioned a lot or is the type of person to have their week ruined over a parking fine, feel free to pass this one along.
And as always, if there is something you are noticing around town that feels worth flagging, send it my way. Some of the best intel still comes from all of you.
See you later this week for our weekend game plan
Callie