Latest Lafayette Road Closures, Storm Information: City Gives Update

Press release from the City of Lafayette:

Storm Watch Update, January 10, 2023

City Staff, Lafayette Police, and Public Works Crews (along with other partner agencies) have been busy over the past week responding to storm damage and debris, as well as preparing for more wet weather. If you see crewmembers working in or alongside the road, please slow down and drive with caution in the area.

Rain and wind are forecast to continue (on and off) for the next few days, with another storm predicted on the weekend.

Because of the saturated soil, falling trees could cause damage, block roads and cause power outages, so please take precautions to stay safe.

Below is information to help Lafayette residents stay safe during the storm:

Sandbag Stations

The City offers two do-it-yourself sandbag stations for Lafayette residents and property owners. We have been monitoring the stations twice daily during the week and refilling sand and empty bags as necessary. The sandbag stations are located at:

• Corner of Mt Diablo Boulevard at Village Center Drive (across from the Veterans Memorial Building)
• Corner of Camino Diablo and Loveland Drive (near the Corporation Yard)

If you are concerned about flooding and need sandbags, it is recommended to bring your own shovel, gloves, and a second person with you if possible.

• Filling sandbags is easier with two people.
• Bags should only be filled between one-third (1/3) to one-half (1/2) of their capacity. This keeps the bag from getting too heavy and permits the bags to be stacked with a good seal.
• Please do not remove shovels from the Sandbag Station.

• Watch this video about how to fill and use storm sandbags: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/5976/Sandbags

To ensure sufficient sand and bags are available, please only take what you need. If the station needs supplies, notify Public Works at 925-934-3908. (During this series of storms, sand has been in high demand throughout the Bay Area and we are refilling the stations as needed during normal business hours.) You can also purchase sandbags from local home improvement or construction material stores.

For Lafayette residents with physical disabilities, a limited number of pre-filled sandbags will be available on Tuesday, January 10 (today) and Wednesday, January 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. only from a location outside the Lafayette Corporation Yard (Corp Yard). Look for signage for pickup location on the east side of the Corp Yard at 3001 Camino Diablo (towards El Curtola). Please parallel park on Camino Diablo and you will be served. Do not block the driveway to the Corp Yard. Please show your DMV Disabled Person Parking Placard if you have one. CERT Volunteers will be available during this time to fill sandbags and load them into your vehicle. These sandbags are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

WEATHER INFORMATION: Stay informed about the weather through the National Weather Service Bay Area webpage: www.weather.gov/mtr. If you are on social media, you can also follow them for the latest information at twitter.com/NWSBayArea, www.facebook.com/NWSBayArea and www.youtube.com/user/NWSBayArea

RAKE UP LEAVES: Residents are asked to make sure that they clear as much debris as they can from storm drains near their homes. Clogged storms drains are the most common cause of flooding in our residential neighborhoods. Raking up leaves and properly disposing of them in your green waste container can help reduce the risk of flooding. Do not blow or rake leaves into the street or into creeks as this can contribute to flooding! Also, check that the storm drain nearest your property is not clogged with leaves or other debris. You can clear off the drain and surrounding area with a rake or pitchfork to remove leaves and other debris on the surface. DO NOT OPEN OR REMOVE THE PUBLIC STORM DRAIN GRATE.

KEEP CREEKS AND DRAINAGE CHANNELS CLEAR: Cleaning of drainage channels and swales or storm drains on private property is the responsibility of the property owner(s). The City’s Public Works Department does not assist with drainage issues on private streets or with issues between private property owners unless the area is in the public right-of-way or within a formally accepted drainage easement.

Creeks are an important part of our area’s drainage system and obstructions can lead to increased flooding. If your property has a creek or a waterway flowing through it, it is your responsibility to maintain it. Proper creek care includes safely removing tree limbs, leaves, trash, and other objects that can cause blockages. Secure outdoor furniture and other objects that may be moved around by strong wind. Read more about creek maintenance. Do not enter strong flowing creeks.

KEEP MOBILE PHONES CHARGED IN CASE OF POWER OUTAGES: During storms with heavy rain and strong winds, there could be power outages. Remember to keep your mobile phones charged. (Strong storms can result in fallen trees, which can take out power and phone lines, however, mobile phones will most likely still function.) You are encouraged to also have a flashlight and other emergency supplies handy. Outage information will be available for viewing on PG&E's outage map. In addition, there are emergency preparedness safety tips available through PG&E's Safety Action Center.

AVOID AREAS THAT ARE PRONE TO FLOODING. Do not attempt to cross a section of road or trail that has water running over it.

To Report Flooding or Fallen Trees Blocking the Roadway

Please report flooding or fallen trees in the public right-of-way online at https://bit.ly/lpwrequest OR call the Public Works Hotline at (925) 934-3908. The hotline and online reporting system is monitored during normal business hours (roughly 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). If the situation needs immediate attention, call the Sherriff’s Office Dispatch at (925) 284-5010.

Only call 9-1-1 if the situation is a life-threatening emergency, such as downed power lines.

All Public Works Maintenance Requests are entered into our work order system, so please do not make duplicate requests for the same issue.

For your convenience, you can also download the My Lafayette App to your smartphone and use it to report Public Works Maintenance Requests (See instructions about downloading this free app on our website.)

Please only report the issue once. When the same issue is reported multiple times, it takes our staff time to deal with the duplicate requests. If you used the online form (via a web browser or the smartphone app), then you do not also need to call it in, and vice-versa.

Also, if you have non-urgent, non-storm-related Public Works Maintenance Requests, we ask that you wait until next week to submit these, as Staff is very busy responding to urgent storm-related issues right now. Thank you for your patience.

Impacted Public Roads & Trails

This information was last updated January 10, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

ROAD CLOSURE ON ST. MARY’S ROAD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 12: A segment of the shoulder on the southbound side of St. Mary’s Road (300’ south of Driftwood Drive) is currently coned off due to soil erosion. The City’s contractor will be performing emergency repairs on Thursday, January 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The road will be closed in both directions during that time, with detours in place at Rheem Blvd and Rohrer Drive. Residents within this area will be granted access in/out, however, it will not be possible to drive through the construction area. Please plan accordingly for delays/detours on Thursday. See map showing road closure area.

CLOSED - 1091 to 1092 Orchard Road - To avoid flooding in the area due to a damaged culvert, sandbags were set up to divert the water, and the street was closed on January 7. The road is closed to through traffic.

CLOSED – Briones Regional Park and Lafayette Ridge Staging Area Parking Lot: On January 1, the Parks District temporarily closed Lafayette Ridge Trail and all connecting service roads leading into Briones from the Lafayette Ridge Staging Area due to landslides. The Parks District temporarily closed the park on January 4. For updates on the Park, visit https://www.ebparks.org/alerts-closures.

Partially Closed - Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail between South Lucille Lane and Rheem Blvd.: On December 31, the Parks District temporarily closed this segment of the trail due to flooding. For updates, visit https://www.ebparks.org/alerts-closures.

City-Maintained Parks & Trails: Petar Jakovina Trail is closed; All sports fields will remain closed until dry; Although other City-maintained trails are currently open, it is advised to avoid muddy trails since this causes damage to the trail. The trail near the upper sports field at the Community Park sustained some damage from the storms. Please avoid this area. The Buckeye meeting room, Community Center and a retaining wall at Buckeye Ballfields experienced minor storm related damage but facilities remain safe and available.

Pleasant Hill Road between Springhill Rd. and Deer Hill Rd.: The storm on New Year’s Eve caused a landslide in Briones Regional Park resulting in mud on a portion of southbound Pleasant Hill Road between Springhill Rd. and Deer Hill Rd. This has been cleaned up, however, there may be additional mudflow, so watch for crews working in the area.

Temporary Traffic Controls: As we respond to storm damage and mudslides, crews may need to temporarily stop traffic. If you see crewmembers working in or alongside the road, please slow down and drive with caution in the area. Obey all signage and instructions from flaggers.

Stay Up-To-Date

The City's website will continue to be updated.

The Police Department will issue significant emergency advisories, such as a major road closure, using Nixle System. Residents who are not currently Nixle subscribers can do so by texting “94549” to “888777” or signing up at http://local.nixle.com/lafayette-police-department. Since we will only send out Nixle notification text messages for significant emergency advisories, you are encouraged to sign up for email-based alerts, and not just text-based alerts.

You can also follow us on social media to receive information about when this page is updated, however, please remember that since our accounts are not monitored 24/7, you should not report dangerous situations via social media. Instead, please use the phone numbers listed above to contact us for an urgent situation.

Social media is a great way you can help to spread the word about City news and information by sharing it quickly with your friends and neighbors!

Facebook: City Page | Police Department Page

Twitter: City Page | Police Department Page

Contact Us

Public Works Hotline (925) 934-3908 – Leave detailed information about the issue you are reporting including a description and the address or cross streets. Reminder: Do not report on this line if you already reported to Dispatch or via the online Public Works work order system.

Public Works Online Maintenance Request Form https://bit.ly/lpwrequest (non-emergency)

My Lafayette App (for non-emergency Maintenance Requests)

Email Police Department 94549Tip@gmail.com (non-emergency)

Emergencies: 9-1-1 or the Sherriff’s Office Dispatch at (925) 284-5010

This press release was produced by the City of Lafayette. The views expressed here are the author’s own.