Hesperia · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hesperia public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Maple Avenue construction quality and detour routing
Road-construction resident Paul Gessman slammed the city for accepting a bumpy pipeline patch on Maple and approving a detour that dumps all traffic onto congested Cottonwood. Council Member Gregg promised to have staff review the detour and hold the contractor to standards at project acceptance.
Rock Springs Road traffic safety
Al Vogler flagged another head-on crash at Rock Springs Road and Glendale, where the road narrows to one lane each way. Staff confirmed no widening project is currently funded, though the county has a project in the area and the June CIP presentation may show more.
Unpaved roads and street maintenance funding
A 25-year resident praised the recent repaving of Seventh Street but said most other streets remain riddled with potholes. Council Member Gregg acknowledged the backlog and said the city is doing what it can with available funds.
Mission Crest Street Paving and Drainage
A 20-year resident said Mission Crest streets were paid for but never finished — gaps between concrete and asphalt have damaged his cars, and water constantly runs in gutters, growing fungus. He asked why the streets aren't in the new capital plan.
Traffic safety on Orchid Avenue curve
Multiple speakers described deadly speeding: three recent hit-and-runs on Cottonwood Avenue, repeated crashes on Rock Springs and Deep Creek Roads, and the deaths of two Sultana High School students in a street-racing crash. Speakers asked for enforcement, cameras, and road design fixes.
Vision Zero and Safe Streets Grant
Hesperia got one of the largest SS4A planning grants in California — about $1.5 million federal plus a $400,000 city match — to build a data-driven roadway safety plan. It also unlocks future safety grant dollars.
Ranchero Road Corridor Widening Project costs
Commissioners are looking forward to signal lights on the east side of Ranchero, expected in the 2026-27 capital improvement calendar, to make crossing near Ranchero Middle School safer.
Ranchero Road signal lights
Commissioners are looking forward to signal lights on the east side of Ranchero, expected in the 2026-27 capital improvement calendar, to make crossing near Ranchero Middle School safer.
2026-27 Capital Improvement Program
The city's $31.9 million construction plan for the year focuses on north-south road corridors like Maple, Seventh and Escondido, plus new traffic signals and storm drainage basins to fix problems exposed by the December 2025 storm. Big projects like the Ranchero Road aqueduct bridge are already underway.
Dirt Road and Retention Basin Storm Repairs
Residents complained that washed-out dirt roads and the aqueduct overflow at Maple and Muscatel still haven't been fixed weeks after the storms. Staff said the basin was still too wet to dredge and a repair bid closes Thursday.
Summit Valley Road Safety and Widening
Residents praised new safety measures on Summit Valley Road but want an extra passing lane. Council Member Gregg explained most of the road is under county jurisdiction, so residents would need to take the issue to the Board of Supervisors.
County-owned drainage at Talisman
The city stopped maintaining a drainage area at Talisman after the county told it to cease work on county-owned property. Council Member Lee wants the city to explore annexation or hold the county accountable.