New Route To School For Redwood Students

Geography is going to be an important lesson for Redwood High School students this year. Students and their parents will have to map out new paths to school between September and November while part of Doherty Drive is closed for construction.

The path will be clear when the new school year starts Wednesday, Aug. 22. The first phase of the construction — between Magnolia Avenue and Larkspur Plaza Drive — recently wrapped up ahead of schedule.

Phase II begins in September and will shut down traffic on Doherty Drive between the Doherty Drive Bridge and Lucky Drive. The construction isn't expected to block access to Piper Park.

The improvement project will repair the potholes in Doherty Drive and bolster and raise the level of the road bed "to minimize winter flooding and improve the street drainage system." The plan also calls for new pedestrian walkways. The Doherty Drive Bridge is expected to be replaced as part of a separate project in 2014.

“We realize back-to-school is a tough time of year to have a road closure, yet our schedule must accommodate the nesting cycles of the endangered California Clapper Rail, a rare bird that is important our community’s ecosystem,“ said Hamid Shamsapour, Director of Larkspur’s Public Works Department. “We will work quickly and efficiently in order to minimize any inconvenience and impact on both people and the environment.”

Larkspur City and Redwood school officials hope students will discover the bicycle and walking paths around the area.

"I'm hoping people will take this chance to make some life-long health changes," Shamsapour said. "This is a good opportunity for people to get out of their cars."

Like us on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter and Foursquare /
Have our free newsletter delivered