Santa Paula resident Christina Grena took to the City Council open forum to sound the alarm on the rapid deterioration of Forest Drive, a critical thoroughfare used by families and school buses to reach Bedell Elementary School.
Grena, who has lived on the street for four years, described a neighborhood in decline, claiming the pavement is "disintegrating terribly" due to a constant barrage of heavy vehicle traffic.
She presented the council with a detailed list of heavy machinery, ranging from massive school buses to water filtration trucks that she believes are far too heavy for the residential infrastructure.
A primary concern raised was the recent shift in waste management. Grena noted that trash collection has expanded from a single trip to three separate pickups (trash, recycling, and green waste) by Athens Services.
The constant stopping and braking of these multi-ton vehicles at every driveway are, according to Grena, causing significant wear and tear that will simply ruin any new paving the city provides.
Beyond the road surface, safety remains a critical issue in the "Oaks" neighborhood.
Because many of these streets lack sidewalks, residents, children, and strollers are forced into the active roadway alongside speeding traffic.
Grena urged the city to install speed bumps on Forest Drive during the upcoming repaving cycle to protect students on their way to Bedell.