Gravenstein Highway

Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol, Sonoma County, CA

all photos copyright Stephen Martin

The stretch of Highway 116 west of Highway 101 which runs through Cotati, Sebastopol, Graton, Forestville, Guerneville, Monte Rio ... it's a remarkably dangerous route for as simple a highway as it is. One lane on each side of the yellow lines. Barely a shoulder on either side. Hardly any lights to accommodate cross-traffic.

People tend to want to drive it like a freeway. Traffic lights between the cities are almost non-existent. The results are that people coming off the side roads are forced to wait and wait and wait for that special moment when there's no cars on the right, no cars on the left, and they jump out. Most times they make it. Sometimes they don't.

Driving it like a freeway is common, but in no way safe. The car ahead of you actually will be forced to hit the brakes at some point or other. On the freeway, people would quickly change lanes when the car in front of them hits the skids. But when they try that on the 116? They're on a short, soft shoulder ... halfway in a ditch ... and then discovering the reason for the skid ... cross traffic ... perhaps a pedestrian trying to make the jump. Yeah, there are residences and businesses along the highway.

It's my hope that drivers will stop swerving onto the shoulder when the car in front of them hits the brakes.

Slow down, come to a stop and just wait it out. It won't last that long.

If time is an issue, leave home earlier. Five minutes earlier? That too much to ask?
It could save you a helluva long time getting your truck out of a ditch.

Not convinced? Well at least protect your self.
Highway 116 is a favorite cruise for the CHP, Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies, and the municipal police of Sebastopol. Pedestrians have the right of way even though there's no crosswalk. It is against the law to pass on the shoulder. And speed limits are monitored by patrol vehicles parked around the next curve in the road.

Luckily, no one was hurt ... this time.

Other Noteworthy Incidents Include:

As of August 12, 2009, the Press Democrat reports that teenager Julia Bertoli remains hospitalized and in a coma, still in recovery since the accident on July 3 that claimed her while she was walking across the Healdsburg Avenue stretch of the 116 where it crosses Florence Ave.

August 14, 2009, Friday. At the corner of the 116 where it intersects Stony Point Road, Across from the Cali Style Clothing Store corner. The other side, where that coral colored hollowed out building / used car lot is. Yeah, that one. About 5 pm today I saw the CHP and a tow truck cleaning up the remains of a collision on that corner. Minor front end damage. I drove down to Sebastopol and ran my errands. On the way back, at that same intersection, same spot ANOTHER accident, a two-car pile up in the middle of the road {deep sigh}.

September 13, 2009, Sunday evening. First rains of the season probably contributed to a four-people-injured accident at the 116 and Occidental Road this time, according to this report in the Press Democrat.

September 14, 2009, Monday night, 2 injured and 1 killed in an accident on Llano Road ( which empties out onto the 116).

October 16, 2009, Friday afternoon, Woman killed in collision that closes 116 near Cotati, as reports Jeremy Hay in the Press Democrat. “It was so fast, and nothing seemed out of order,” said one witness. The report goes on to say, "The CHP, however, said the woman driving the westbound red sedan may have attempted, or been preparing to attempt, to turn south onto Madrone Avenue as the truck-trailer rig approached."

October 28, 2009, Wednesday morning, the Press Democrat reports: One Injured in Three Car Crash Near Forestville, as a car waiting to turn off the road for his own driveway was rear-ended and pushed into oncoming traffic.

November 2nd, 2009, Press Democrat reports that Supervisor Mike Kearns, spurred by the October 16th death of Maria Juana Flores, is struggling with Cal-Trans to find funding to install traffic lights at major problem intersections ~ 116 at Madrone St, 116 at Hessel Rd, and where 116 intersects Lone Pine.