Sunday, April 27, 2025

Letter to Councilmember Rachel Kertz

Rachel Kertz,


This Marin IJ picture of the crash site is frightening like the photos of Canyon Oak Drive.  Both feature blind curves in a wooded area.  Only you as Director of the Mont Marin Association and City Council Member can act now ahead of a similar traffic accident here.  Only you can bring this hazard to the attention of the city officials.  Only you can generate the backing of the community to resolve this issue before a similar accident occurs here.  Please join me in my effort to protect the residents of Mont Marin.  This road has proven to be hazardous and needs to be corrected before another Monique Petrov disaster occurs here.


Please hear my plea to address this issue.  According to my conversation with the head of the county public works department, Christopher Blunk, there are a lot of financially acceptable steps that can be taken that will improve the situation.  Please encourage the city's public works director to work with the county to resolve this blind curve issue.


Ray Lorber

 

   


Bill Guerin and Rafat Raie observing safety issues on Old Lucas Valley Road.





Fatal West Marin crash prompts safety debate

 

Visitors stop at the site of a fatal crash in Woodacre, Calif. on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal)

 

By STEVEN ROSENFELD | srosenfeld@marinij.com

UPDATED: April 26, 2025 at 8:16 AM PDT

The investigation into the car crash that killed four teens in Woodacre is expected take several more weeks, the California Highway Patrol said Friday.

Meanwhile, residents continue to visit the crash site and roadside memorial, a debate is emerging about what might be done to make the redwood-lined stretch of San Geronimo Valley Drive safer.

An online petition posted at bit.ly/4iADHwb to close the road to motorized traffic “until further notice” had nearly 80 signatures by Friday. But several dozen people posting on a San Geronimo Valley social platform were overwhelmingly critical, saying the road is needed for emergency response. It is one of two roads into Woodacre.

The petition author, Ted Waiser, could not be reached for comment.

Visitors who stopped by the memorial site and in Woodacre on Friday uniformly agreed the road should remain open, but also said there could be safety enhancements such as cautionary signs, a lower speed limit and a greater law enforcement presence.

“I don’t know if this road should be closed or not, but I definitely think there should be speed checks and railings,” said Linda Vela of Fairfax, who left a crucifix by a charred redwood. “There needs to be more than just nothing here.”

“They should widen the road and take the speed limit down,” said Robert Vela, her nephew.

The Marin County Department of Public Works has put up caution signs warning to watch for stopped vehicles before the memorial and red stanchions at the crash site, where there are dozens of bouquets, photographs, notes, candles and other offerings.

“We’ve taken some immediate steps this week,” said Julian Kaelon, a public works spokesperson. “And we’re continuing to evaluate safety enhancements.”

The agency will assess what additional steps are appropriate after the CHP finishes the investigation, he said. “Our focus is on understanding the current conditions and behaviors along this corridor, so we can identify potential safety improvements.”

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The girls, all students at Archie Williams High School, were traveling on the road on April 18 when the vehicle they were riding in struck a tree, according to authorities. Olive Koren, who was in ninth grade, and 10th-graders Sienna Katz, Ada Kepley and Josalynn Osborn were killed, according to the Tamalpais Union High School District. Marley Barclay and the driver, Elsa Laremont Stranczek, survived the crash.

San Geronimo Valley Drive was laid out as a horse-and-wagon path in 1865 and was widened and first paved in 1929, said Dewey Livingston, a historian and expert on West Marin’s roads. It was the main road into the San Geronimo Valley until Sir Francis Drake Boulevard was built in 1955.

Today, San Geronimo Valley Drive is the first left-hand turn when coming down the hill from Fairfax. It is a two-lane road with wide shoulders that quickly narrows as it enters a redwood and fern forest. Traveling west, the road has a 40 mph speed limit and some curves where a driver’s view of oncoming traffic is blocked.

There are no homes along the three-quarter-mile stretch between Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and where the drive enters the edge of Woodacre, where its residential streets begin and a handful of businesses are located.

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“It officially opened as Sir Francis Drake Highway in 1929 and it hasn’t really changed,” Livingston said. “It was well engineered at that time. … Marin is one of those rare counties where 100-year-old roads have not been improved to modern standards.”

Originally Published: April 25, 2025 at 6:05 PM PDT


ReplyReply allF


 

Friday, July 2, 2021

Why is the bench facing the woods, instead of the roadway?

 As the county employees were installing the bench they asked me which way did I want the bench to face.

While looking around it was decided that the bench should not face the traffic.  Who wants to sit on a bench and watch the traffic go by?

Suddenly a red shouldered hawk flew out of the bushes.

With that sudden flight, it was decided that would be the view most desirable.  

So all of the rumors that you have heard about why the bench was facing away from traffic no longer need to be spread.

It is facing that way because that was where the red shouldered hawk burst from the bushes.

Ray Lorber

Co-Leader, Safe Passage Along Lucas Valley Road Campaign

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The Safe Passage Bench is installed

Tuesday, February 3, 2015
at 12:00 noon


With the leadership of 

Supervisor Damon Connolly

The County Public Works Department 
installed the 
Safe Passage Bench



Ernest Klock and Larry Lewis securing the base of the bench



Craig Parmley balancing the bench while Larry Lewis bolts the base.


Larry Lewis finishing the installation as Carolyn Lenert arrives to express her appreciation.


Ernest Klock, Craig Parmley and Larry Lewis enjoying the fruits of their labor.


Carolyn Lenert and Ray Lorber
express our sincere appreciation
 to all those involved in having the Safe Passage Bench installed;
Damon Connolly
Raul Rojas
Susannah Clark
Ernest Klock
Craig Parmley
Larry Lewis

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Emma Ramshaw expresses her appreciation as she moves on

In January 2009 Emma Ramshaw signed our Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road petition and provided a letter of support.  Here is a link to her letter.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4619074220375910822#editor/target=post;postID=2342177741734320178;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname

She is now moving out of our area and sent a Nextdoor email expressing her feelings toward her contribution to the project:





Nextdoor messages June 26 - 27, 2014

From Emma Ramshaw the first person to sign the Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road petition on January 28, 2009.







A huge thank you to everyone who attended last night. It was wonderful to meet new faces, and I'll be sad to leave this friendly and supportive community. I'm planning on doing this sale again tonight, as there is still plenty left - so do feel free to come by between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm. Thank you!






 
 Ray Lorber:


 Emma,

You will be missed. Thank you for helping us, your contribution was deeply appreciated.

Ray and Carolyn
25 Jun

 

Emma Ramshaw:

Carolyn and Ray,
Thank you for your lovely message. I ran along the path the other day, and I thought of you both and everything you achieved for the safety of our community. THANK YOU so very much! It's made Lucas Valley Road so much safer - and every time I see someone walking, jogging or cycling along it, I feel proud of being part of it. Best wishes to you both.
Emma 26 Jun

 
 

Ray Lorber: 

Emma,
Comments like you have just sent, make it all worth while. Thank you.
 Ray and Carolyn

Ray 26 Jun