Mt Elizabeth Road Access

[Jay Bunten]

The following is an article that was posted on the homepage earlier. It discusses the repairs to Mt Elizbeth Road and its use as an alternate exit route.

Mt Elizbeth Road
You may have questions about the unpaved, privately-owned portion Mt. Elizabeth Drive. The Cedar Ridge Volunteer Fire Company and its Ladies Auxiliary want to address these concerns.

Mt. Elizabeth Drive will be available to the entire community for evacuation in the event of any emergency. Both emergency response agencies, such as fire and law enforcement departments, and the private property owners on the unpaved part of Mt. Elizabeth Drive have keys to the gate across this private road. In an emergency, the gate will be unlocked and opened immediately.

Some history: About a year ago, Mt. Elizabeth Drive was impassable. Over the years off-road vehicles had destroyed the roadway, carving trenches sometimes three- or four-feet deep and up to six-feet wide. That part of Mt. Elizabeth Drive also had become a dumping site. A demolished truck, old appliances, and other trash lined the road and the adjacent properties. Those who own the land were unable to keep up with the vandalism, and law enforcement said it was unable to provide the area with the needed patrols and protection.

Since Kewin Mill Road is the only exit from Cedar Ridge, many worried that were it blocked, residents could be trapped. (In 2007 there was such a incident when a downed power line on Kewin Mill Road prevented everyone from entering or leaving for several hours.)

The principal of Sierra Outdoor School at Five-Mile Creek recently undertook a similar project to provide fuel management and road maintenance between Cedar Ridge and the school along Old Oak Ranch Road. The Fire Company and its Auxiliary felt it also was important to maintain Mt. Elizabeth Drive between Cedar Ridge and Twain Harte to provide emergency responders with quicker access to Cedar Ridge. Mt. Elizabeth Drive also would be the evacuation route if the lower roads were blocked by fire.

County officials have recognized the danger of fire entrapment in Cedar Ridge, but because the road is on private property, the county could not allocate funds for its maintenance. The auxiliary contacted the property owners along the unpaved portion Mt. Elizabeth Drive, who agreed to let us maintain the road on the condition that a gate be installed to keep the road across their property from becoming a short-cut to Twain Harte. Once the owners agreed to the project, we spent several thousand dollars of location donation funds to make Mt. Elizabeth Drive passable , grading the road and filling low spots. Mt. Elizabeth Drive property owners and other volunteers cleared much of the garbage. The Sheriff's Department then was able to get a tow truck in to remove the abandoned truck. Low hanging branches were trimmed, and in July the CRVFC Captain Dennis Randall was able to drive the community's fire engine across the road to Twain Harte for the first time in many years. A few months later emergency vehicles from Twain Harte used Mt. Elizabeth Drive to respond to a medical emergency.

Unfortunately, soon after the Mt. Elizabeth Drive maintenance, off-road vehicles began tearing it up once more and trash began to accumulate again. This private road was deteriorating once again. The gate was installed in November to protect this private road and emergency evacuation route and to comply with the agreement with the property owners. The gate has helped reduce damage to the road. Everyone involved wants to make certain that Mt. Elizabeth Drive will be available to all vehicles should it be needed during an emergency. While there is more to be done, of course, we feel the community is safer because of this effort.

[liz4x5]

Mt Elizabeth Road Access. Beware, large pebbles on the road. Bikers be forewarned, it could be a hazard for you.