This Almanac article reporting on the Ramona Road repair in the Los Trancos/Vista Verde area left out some important information about how the work was funded and initiated. In 2011, the Los Trancos County Water District (LTCWD) commissioned a geotechnical survey to study the soil conditions under the road and recommend repair solutions. However, over the following two years, the Water District’s efforts to engage the San Mateo County Department of Public Works (DPW) in fixing the road to their recommendations resulted in no action.

Due to the severe rains at the end of December 2012, soil erosion put the edge of Ramona Road in peril, along with portions of Alpine Road. At a community association meeting, a group of concerned local residents formed an ad hoc committee, named ”Save Alpine and Ramona Road” (SARR) to initiate action by the DPW in early January 2013. Local engineering experts in the community, Ross Edwards and Mario Wijtman, provided DPW with the technical reasons for the type of structure that would ensure a long-term solution. Funding, however, was the main issue. SARR worked with Supervisor Don Horsley, his Chief of Staff, John Maltbie, and Jim Porter, Director of Public Works, who approved the repair recommendation to receive emergency funding. Their action put the project on a fast track to identify a contractor to provide a design-build solution. Work began July 1 and twelve weeks later a new retaining wall was in place, preserving the utilities under the roadbed and providing a safe road for the community.

I believe it is important to recognize the efforts of SARR and the community volunteers who got the repair work completed. Your readers should understand the full story of how this long-standing safety issue was resolved through the efforts of a wide number of citizens and agencies working together.