Expect lane closures on Scenic next week; safety wall needed to protect county workers

Stanislaus County officials have seen enough car crashes that threaten the safety of workers and clients in a behavioral health building on Scenic Drive.

Starting Monday, a contractor will construct a permanent safety barrier for the county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services building that sits about 8 feet from Scenic, east of Bodem Street in Modesto.

Motorists can expect slow-going traffic in the next few weeks as one eastbound lane is closed from time to time. The temporary lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. could continue until Feb. 14, a county press release said.

Accidents are a frequent occurrence on that stretch of Scenic when it rains. Drivers take a curve too fast and spin out on the slick surface.

Often, the cars are going westbound and spin 360 degrees, ending up in the eastbound lanes, where they collide with another vehicle, said Regina Goncalves, co-owner of Memorial Art Company on Scenic.

“They do it every time it rains; there was one this morning,” said Goncalves, who was standing Wednesday near a digital sign warning drivers to slow down in the wet conditions.

The cemetery walls on the north side of the four-lane road are a patchwork of repairs from previous accidents.

About a year ago, the county installed a temporary barrier on the north side of the BHRS building, which is part of the “Redwood” complex of administrative offices and meeting rooms. Some offices close to the street are used by staff members and clients in a family program, an official said.

Last April, the rear of a car ended up on metal bars next to the barrier after the driver took the curve too fast and lost control. County staff members were also alarmed by a recent collision near the driveway to the complex.

Before the temporary barrier was put in, the county had large terra cotta pots between the sidewalk and building, but those were smashed by traffic accidents. Some accidents have occurred when employees were inside the offices, while others were after hours.

“The building has never had major damage,” County Chief Operations Officer Patty Hill Thomas said. “We want it to be safe for our employees.”

The county will replace the temporary barrier with a 3-foot-high safety wall built to standards, Hill Thomas said. The permanent barrier will cost $38,900. The lane closures are necessary for bringing in materials and working in the narrow space.

“This is a high priority to ensure the safety and security of the staff and clients,” BHRS Director Richard DeGette said.

Accident statistics for Scenic Drive were not immediately available from the Modesto Police Department.

In November 2014, two women were killed and a third person was seriously injured on Scenic when their car ran into the concrete and rock wall of the cemetery near Bodem. The 1991 Honda Accord had been traveling east on Scenic.

In January 2010, a Modesto police squad car was torn in half when it collided with a sport-utility vehicle on Scenic. The injuries to the drivers were not life-threatening.

This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Expect lane closures on Scenic next week; safety wall needed to protect county workers."