The County of Mendocino has moved a step closer to creating another evacuation route for four subdivisions on the east side of Ukiah. At a community meeting at the Ukiah Bible Church in Deerwood, engineers, planners, and county officials presented initial design ideas for the potential 4.5-mile route.

“It’s really early stages, so we haven’t decided on a route specifically yet,” qualified Travis Killmer, the county’s Chief Recovery and Resilience Officer. He added that questions include basics such as, “What will this look like? Will it be a gravel access route for first responders, or will it be a full road for the public? Right now, this is just introducing it to the public, showing them ‘Here’s what we’ve got so far - what do you think?’”

The evacuation route would serve over 300 homes in the subdivisions of Deerwood Estates, El Dorado Estates, Vichy Springs, and the Guidiville Rancheria. Phase I, the early environmental review and design phase, was funded by a CAL FIRE grant of approximately $500,000. Funding has not yet been secured for further phases of the project, such as detailed design, environmental review, and permitting. Early planning efforts include initial environmental review, mapping existing informal thoroughfares, scouting out alternatives, and considering questions of how to obtain easements through private property. Much of the area that would be served is actively being used for agricultural purposes. It may take finesse to convince landowners to allow a road through their property, though planners were careful to note that any route would only be used in emergencies.

The proposed evacuation route is separate from another county plan to extend Redemeyer Road. That project could potentially start construction in 2029.

There are significant differences in cost, depending on which alternative is selected. At the moment, engineers with the firm BKF are considering three possible routes, all of them in a north-south direction, and two possible construction approaches. A single-lane gravel road would be available to emergency vehicles only, and it could only be used during dry weather. Engineers would try to make use of existing dirt roads. This option would be 12-20 feet wide, with turnouts and staging areas. The estimated cost is currently $49,200,000.

The second proposed alternative is a paved, two-lane road that would be accessible to emergency vehicles as well as the public, but only during evacuations. This road would be 20 feet wide with two-foot gravel shoulders. The current estimate, in today’s dollars, is $62,900,000.

One possible route would provide a connection to Coyote Valley Dam and Lake Mendocino Drive, which could then provide an escape for residents in the subdivisions. Another would go behind, or to the east, of Deerwood Estates and connect to the existing street system in Vichy Springs. Another proposal is to use an existing private road, near Middle Subdivision Road.

Residents in the Eastern Hills are keenly aware of the near-constant fire risk in their rural neighborhoods. Every seat in the church, at 6:00 on a Thursday evening, was full of people who pored over the maps, asked questions, and left notes on their thoughts.

Attendees expressed concern about possible damage to wildlife habitat and vineyards, sharp curves on existing roads, and the difficulty of getting easements through private property. Representatives from Psomas, the contractor working on permits and environmental review, plan to prepare an Environmental Impact Review (EIR) and expect the project will require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). State environmental law requires a full study of natural and agricultural resources, as well as an assessment of cultural and tribal resources.

The county plans to apply for funding in 2026-2027, and to begin environmental review and design of the selected route between 2028-2030. If funding to build the road becomes available, construction is not expected to begin until at least 2030.