By: Supervisor Sue Frost
“I’ll be right back,” Chuck Noland told his wife in the movie Cast Away. But then a storm stranded him on an Island for so long that he started talking to a deflated volleyball.
The storms in Sacramento didn’t strand people on a deserted island, but tree-falls and flooding did cut off access to many communities – some of them for days. Dozens of roads and major thoroughfares were closed due to flooding. We even saw closures on Highways 99 and 5. Some roads are still closed or restricted more than two weeks later.
Teams of county employees, utility workers, and private citizens have been doing heroic work to restore access and clean up the damage left in the wake of storm damage and disruption.
But this won’t be the last storm, and we can do more to prepare for the next one.
Part of that preparation is ensuring there are more and newer roads that not only improve emergency access and response, but also boost the economy and reduce air pollution and commute times.
We can’t leave our citizens stranded – literally or metaphorically – when we have the ability to provide relief not just from storms, but from the everyday trials of crumbling infrastructure, traffic jams, and growing commute times that reduce productivity and rob us of time with our families.
Roads and highways are how we get goods & services – not to mention people – around Sacramento County. Roads and highways are how farmers get their products to market. It is how most people get to work and parents get their kids to school. It is how patients get to our hospitals – not to mention the doctors and nurses who have to get there to save lives. Roads are how we get workers in to restore your utilities and get your life back to normal.
But repairing, improving, and expanding our roads is about more than just making them better or reducing traffic and commute times – it’s also how we connect our communities and keep our economy growing.
Over the next few months, I will be sharing my plans for repairing and improving our road system. Meanwhile, I wanted to share a few resources that every resident should be aware of:
- Sac County 311 helps residents report most non-emergency issues in the unincorporated communities in Sacramento County. Citizens reporting downed trees, issues with street and traffic lights, and road or sidewalk obstructions, the county knew where best to deploy response teams. More than 600 reports of downed trees came in from citizens using the 311 system, which has representatives available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. You can also download the app or use the 311 website. Learn more at https://311.saccounty.gov/
- Local Assistance Center (LAC) are established following disasters to bring Federal assistance for those who suffered related losses or damages. One has already been opened in Galt, and we are asking federal government for additional help. Until that decision is made, you should contact your insurance provider to file your claim and report your damage through the link provided. The more people report their damage to the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services or OES, the better the chance of another LAC in the County being activated. To report damage go to https://report-ca-sacramento.orioncentral.com/
- Sacramento Alert is the Office of Emergency Services (OES) state-of-the-art alert system. This system allows officials in the Sacramento region to disperse public safety information quickly. Please visit the Sacramento Alert Citizen Opt-In portal and provide your contact information to receive notifications. The Opt-In Portal is strictly confidential, and your private information is secured. To learn more at https://sacramentoready.saccounty.gov/Pages/Emergency-Alerts-Notification-System.aspx
Thank you for reading – and as always, if you want to contact me, call me at 916-874-5491, or e-mail me at SupervisorFrost@saccounty.net.
Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost represents the 4th district, which includes the communities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, North Highlands, Rio Linda, Elverta, and Rancho Murieta.
