Drivers on San Rafael's Miracle Mile should expect work zones for a while. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Marin Water began replacing aging pipeline along the corridor that links San Rafael and San Anselmo. When that's done, the city plans to rebuild one of its most confusing intersections.
The pipeline
Marin Water plans to replace about 7,000 feet of cast iron pipe with welded steel pipe in two phases. Some sections date back as far as 1883. The first phase covers Marquard Avenue and parts of Second and Fourth streets and is expected to finish in late December. Phase 2 will start after the city's roadway work is done.
Work may happen during the day or at night on weekdays, and noisy construction will end by 10 p.m. Expect temporary parking restrictions near active work. Businesses along the corridor and nearby parking lots will stay open and reachable, the utility said.
The intersection
Today, Second Street, Fourth Street and West Crescent Drive meet in a five-legged intersection. About 20,000 vehicles pass through it each day, according to the city. The redesign would cut it to four legs, shorten pedestrian crossings and extend protected bike lanes. That would complete the Class 4 bikeway connection from West Street to West End and to the Greenfield Avenue bike facility. The city says it will wait for Marin Water to finish before starting construction.
The council's Oct. 19 agenda included a construction contract with Ghilotti Bros., Inc. The city's Oct. 16 update put it at $2.3 million, or up to $2,875,000 with contingency, plus a $573,908 construction management agreement with Consor North America. A $3 million federal grant covers most of the work, and about $398,000 comes from the city's gas tax fund.
Also in San Rafael: the city declared a local emergency to prepare for El Niño flooding.