Due to landslides in the early 1980s, the Board of Supervisors approved the closure of Carquinez Scenic Drive, between the Ozol Fuel Facility (owned by the United States of America) and the Contra Costa Brick Works Plant 9 (former property of TXI Operations and recently purchased by the East Bay Regional Park District). In 2004, the Board of Supervisors subsequently approved the temporary overnight closure of Carquinez Scenic Drive, from the the Martinez City Limit to the Ozol Fuel Facility, to prevent ongoing criminal and illegal activities on that portion of the roadway. That temporary road closure has expired, and the East Bay Regional Park District has requested the reinstatement of the overnight road closure.
Therefore, the County Public Works Department, Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol support continuing to prohibit overnight traffic along this section of Carquinez Scenic Drive. Public Works Department staff has determined that Carquinez Scenic Drive has not been designated as a through highway or arterial street, the overnight closure will not impact traffic flow or safety on the adjacent streets or in the surrounding neighborhoods, the operation of emergency vehicles, the performance of municipal or public utility services to, or the delivery of freight by commercial vehicles in the area of that section of roadway.
Public Works Department staff has mailed notices of this hearing to the residents and owners, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll, of properties adjacent to the section of Carquinez Scenic Drive affected by this temporary overnight closure.
Therefore, the Public Works Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the traffic resolution allowing the overnight closure of this roadway.
Carquinez Scenic Drive would remain open overnight, allowing serious and continual criminal activities to occur along this segment of roadway.