Thirteen Trees to be Removed From Willits Main Street as Part of Rehabilitation Project Before Caltrans Turns It Back Over to the Town

Willits Gateway to the Redwoods sign

Downtown Willits [Photo by Brian Grogan via Wikimedia Commons]

Press release from Caltrans:

The first phase of the Willits Relinquishment project will launch on Sunday, January 21st.  Thirteen trees will be removed on Main Street in advance of the sidewalk replacement project to begin late spring 2018.  The tree work is being scheduled in advance of the bird nesting season as to not disrupt wildlife.  The trees will be removed over two days with work taking place on two consecutive Sundays, January 21 and 28 to minimize disruption to businesses and motorists. Residents will notice tree stumps remaining for a period of time until the actual work on the sidewalk begins.

Caltrans worked collaboratively with the City of Willits in identifying the trees to be removed in advance of the sidewalk and utility phase of the project. Additionally a local nursery owner served on the tree identification team. The trees that were identified were those with structure or health problems sufficient to warrant removal with or without the relinquishment project.

Dusty Duley, Community Development Director for the City, said, “The removal of the trees is the initiation of the relinquishment project. We are working with Caltrans  to ensure construction will assist in the implementation of the Willits Downtown Main Street program that the local residents and businesses worked so hard on to adopt”.

The Willits Rehabilitation and Relinquishment of Old Highway 101 project will bring the road into good repair and then turn it over the City of Willits and the County of Mendocino.  Phase one work includes upgrading sidewalks and curbs to current accessibility standards, upgrades to existing drainage facilities, slurry seal, and restriping.  Phase two includes grinding, paving and restriping the roadway.

Construction for Phase 1 is expected to begin in May of 2018 and will be completed by December of 2019.  The schedule for Phase 2 is expected to begin in May of 2020 and end in July of 2020.

For more safety information and the latest updates like Caltrans District 1 on Facebook.

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33 Comments
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Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

I remember a place called Willits.

Dave L
Guest
Dave L
6 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Willits, where’s Willits?

Sam
Guest
Sam
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave L

Willits, like in Todd Bridges ?

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago

The best thing I can say about Willits, is now you don’t have to go there!

Willits, (or South Garberville as I call it), seems to have some charm at first, but it’s really just a slum of Ukiah.

Now I only go there if I really need gas, or a hamburger.

I LOVE the bypass!

AngelA
Guest
AngelA
6 years ago

A slum of Ukiah? [edit]

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago
Reply to  AngelA

Actually, I was being polite.

Willits is vile, a nasty, filthy hole full of druggies and losers.

Even the brand new hospital, run by lying devils, who all act like someone’s trying to steal something from them, is a great example of what is wrong with Willits.

Willits, where I thought about moving to Brooktrails, until I saw what is going on out Sherwood Road!

All the dopers and their tattooed ladies at Mariposa Market, all the assholes roaring around in their ‘dozers, the zonked out Adventists and Mormons, and the very sad “Rancheria”…

What a mess, what a scary, repulsive, horrible town…

Then there is the City Council: a cadre of old ladies still whining about the cost of the bypass and afraid, foremost, of development and moving forward, change of any kind…

Willits, for all of it’s negative characteristics, really forms the flavor of the North Coast (bad) and Mendocino County (full of creepy dudes), while at the same time, giving all those folks who work in Ukiah, Healdsburg, and even Santa Rosa and San Raphael an affordable place to have their kids and commute out of.

Yuck.

Schnattles
Guest
Schnattles
6 years ago

Wow. Sounds like Willits didn’t like you either. [edit]

Shel
Guest
Shel
6 years ago

That’s what I was wondering! You have the bypass and locals don’t use sidewalks so all that good $ just laying tied up in cement for dog’s to take a dump on. Leave the poor trees alone already!!

Gasquet
Guest
Gasquet
6 years ago

I agree. And I am sure that the tree 🌲 hugging assbags will be whining, like Richardson Grove. If you live in an all plastic house then I sympathize with you other than that get a life tree huggers.

Gasquet
Guest
Gasquet
6 years ago
Reply to  Gasquet

Logging used to be the heart of our poor region. NOW look , joblessness and meth heads everywhere. I don’t know about you but this family is supported by Timber dollars and always will be to any tree tree hugger out there get a life and maybe a f****** job, in the plastic industry you loser.

Veteran's Friend
Guest
Veteran's Friend
6 years ago
Reply to  Gasquet

Cutting down all the trees in 100 years…kind of shortsighted, eh?

Jim Brickley
Guest
Jim Brickley
6 years ago
Reply to  Gasquet

Well put the blame where it belongs, namely that dick weed Charlie Horvatts, or whatever his name was, for decimating Pacific Lumber. Wasn’t the Owl or tree huggers. Just good old fashion greed. Same thing you’re seeing today with Trump & his cronies. Nice legacy we’re leaving our kids, don’t blame them for spitting on our graves!

Grass is browner
Guest
Grass is browner
6 years ago

It would great if you all can post where you live, then in the comments we can roast your town and say why it sucks….
When you start comparing I bet your town is similar

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago

I [used to] trade in Willits. Last time up, shop-keepers/owners were all whining about how the by-pass trimmed their incomes by 33%. Funny thing is, I didn’t see them (or their letters) at the demonstrations or in the public record. Tsk, tsk.

Meme
Guest
6 years ago

I love Willits it’s a great place & we are not a freaking slum of ukiah. In addition we had no choice about the bypass.

luke
Guest
luke
6 years ago

Oh where is Warbler now?

nines
Guest
6 years ago

I have to say, I do strenuously not miss Willits and find the bypass a boon, but I do feel sorry for them having to lose trees because, along with being mostly not so great a town, shade there is really, really important in the summer.

JR
Guest
JR
6 years ago

I predict that downtown Willits will rebound from the 101 by-pass just as Healdsburg and Cloverdale have. With the removal of “through traffic” that now use the by-pass, Willits can focus on creating a lovely walkable downtown both for locals and visitors. I just hope that the businesses can hold out until such improvements are finished. The Willits Chamber of Commerce should coordinate a “Shop Willits” campaign and invite travelers to re-discover this city.

Rusty
Guest
Rusty
6 years ago
Reply to  JR

I predict you’re right JR.

Shel
Guest
Shel
6 years ago
Reply to  JR

Cloverdale rebounded? You’d better tell the residents! I don’t think they have been notified!

Maybe, just maybe...
Guest
Maybe, just maybe...
6 years ago
Reply to  JR

You might as well add ukiah to your list of norcal offramp paradises, where prosperity abounds. Are you aware of the economic situations of cloverdale and healdsburg? Willits is going to become a newfangled gentrified ghetto.

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

Two things that killed Willits. The bypass and Coyote Valley. That town is toast.

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
6 years ago

Agreed Coyote Valley and the 24° TWEEK FEST is the most awful thing ever. Shut that damn place down between 2am and 6am. Steam clean…let the town rest…nothing but TROUBLE, HEARTACHE and SHADE being thrown around during those hours. 🙁

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago

Please bypass Eureka next. We promise we won’t complain.

Willitsvillian
Guest
Willitsvillian
6 years ago

Wow, didn’t know we were hated so much. Not all of us are Meth heads, and don’t like the mental health issues here. I’m hoping the mental health issues will improve, since the mental health measure was passed. My first thought was why do they need to get rid of more trees? But it clearly states, the trees that are being removed, have structural and health problems. Probably, from all the traffic that came through, before the bypass opened. I for one, enjoyed growing up in Willits. And am glad my child is growing up here, instead of a big city. I agree, the drug issue worries me, but I’m hoping the city opens up more places, for our children to go have fun at, so they don’t try drugs, cause there isn’t anything else to do. Please Willits, please!

Not a peta person
Guest
Not a peta person
6 years ago

Sad tale. We were unwilling to plan for the future. We lined the 101 with buildings. The time came when we realized it was no longer table, and we were left with the choice of paying for our mistakes economically, or taking it out on ecology. As always we chose the latter.

Hick
Guest
Hick
6 years ago

Didn’t they have an A&W? Most of my Willits memories are food related. Country Skillet was a good half way meeting up place to pick up or hand off valley visitors. Is the Redwood room still open?

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
6 years ago
Reply to  Hick

Yes Al’s has fantastic Thai food. Super Taco spicy pork super burrito beyond words! Grocery Outlet has great shopping. JD Redhouse gifts, food for folks and fauna. I love Willits…tweekers not so much. Mendocino County Museum on Commercial Street next to.the library is SO AMAZING! Admission is free on Wednesdays. <3

NurseChand
Guest
NurseChand
6 years ago
Reply to  Hick

Yes Redwood room is still open. On of our favorite places to eat. Hubby likes American and I like my Asian food.

Covelo or busted
Guest
Covelo or busted
6 years ago

I LOVE WILLITS!…WE LOVE WILLITS!…WE WILL STOP IN EVERY CHANCE WE GET! GREAT FOOD AND PEOPLE!

Ron
Guest
Ron
6 years ago

As a 70 year resident of Willits I can say this is a great place to live. I love this little town, and I am glad the bi pass will keep all of the neg people out of our nice little town, so keep on the free way and keep going.

Boycott Willits City Council
Guest
Boycott Willits City Council
6 years ago

Boycott Willits,Bypass Willits, do not buy gas in Willits! Do not support Willits! Untill the City of Willits respects the rights of its citizens to grow Medicinal Cannabis at home, outside in their garden in the full sun then Boycott Willits! Make Willits go belly up and destroy the City of Willits’Willits make the City Corporation go broke! For to long the God old boys like ExMayor Burton ran corrupt and trick politricks. They aggressively taxed and fined small mom and pop personal use medical cannabis farmers’ they took land and property from cancer patients who were growing 12 plants for medicine’ the fined $60,000 to a cancer patients who had grown a few backyard plants from his medicine. The City is ran by 60 and 70 year old senior citizens who are out of touch with the reality’ out of touch with the struggles families face’ they are rich transplants who want to make Willits a retirement community forgetting the rest of the younger community. Do not shop’ buy gas or spend any money in Willits’ the Boycott has lasted 3 years already… keep it up. Boycott and bypass Willits!