Road Network Updates and Future Plans

Ewing explained, “Since becoming interim director in June 2025, it was clear that pavement preservation and the road network are our top priorities.” Lake County maintains 612 miles of roads, including 125 bridges, 3,555 culverts, and numerous drainage structures—464 paved miles and 148 unpaved. The Pavement Condition Index (PCI), updated every three years, rates pavement from 0 (worst) to 100 (best), guiding repair priorities. As of 2022, the County’s average PCI is 34. The Lake Area Planning Council will oversee the next PCI assessment later this year, providing updated data to guide maintenance decisions.

To manage and maintain this extensive network, Public Works relies on a 28-member crew divided among three road area yards based in Lower Lake, Upper Lake and Kelseyville. In addition to the road crew, a central garage maintains and repairs vehicles and heavy equipment, ensuring crews have reliable machinery ready for daily operations, while paint and signage crews and bridge crews provide additional support. The department completes pavement preservation using specialized equipment:

1. Chip spreader

2. Paver

3. Two rollers

4. Three sweepers

5. Seven light-wheel dump trucks

6. Additional equipment not listed

The crew preserves County roads through both planned and unplanned work:

1. Responding to service requests from residents and the Board.

2. Restoring roads during emergency repairs after severe weather.

3. Performing routine maintenance such as clearing culverts, improving drainage, patching potholes, dura patching, striping, signs, etc., outside of service requests. This represents the majority of the 28-member crew’s work.

4. Pavement preservation projects.

5. Capital improvement projects are typically contracted.

These activities rely on consistent annual funding, which supports both routine maintenance and larger preservation projects, ensuring the road network remains safe and functional year-round.

These maintenance activities rely on consistent funding, which allows Public Works to deploy staff and equipment efficiently:

1. Highway Users Tax Account (HUTA) distributes fuel taxes to counties and cities, providing 43% of funds.

2. California SB 1 (Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017) funds Board-approved pavement projects, $2.7–$3 million.

3. Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) provides federal gas tax dollars for roads and transit, $865,000.

4. Local property taxes contribute $1.1 million.

5. Grants and other miscellaneous programs.

Public Works typically allocates funds with 70% for routine maintenance, 18% for pavement preservation, and 12% for capital projects.

In 2025 alone, the 28-member crew completed 38.5 miles of pavement—more than double previous years. Material and contract costs totaled $1,597,616, excluding staff time.

Jim Hale said, “The crew rotates across the County. Roads chip-sealed 10 years ago are holding up with new technology, and new equipment allows us to do more work more efficiently.” Planned roads will shift yearly to meet changing needs. Over five years, 155 miles are scheduled for chip seal at an estimated cost of $50,000 per mile, expecting to raise PCI from an average of 39 to 97 on preserved roads and increasing overall County PCI from 35 to 48.

Board Chair and District 3 Supervisor Eddie Crandell, Vice Chair and District 4 Supervisor Brad Rasmussen, and District 1 Supervisor Helen Owen thanked Public Works and the road crew for their hard work.

District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said, “We must maximize funding while exploring additional sources for road preservation. Getting the latest PCI data will help. The work done in 2025 is a good start.”

District 5 Supervisor Jessica Pyska reflected, “Several years ago, we had no work or minimal work done. In 2025, people saw the crew working hard, building trust.”

To watch the Board presentation, click here.

To view the presentation, click here.