Dear Street Smarts,
Q: I enjoy reading your columns! Good job. We need your super powers to get bushes and trees cut in front of Harbor High and was wondering if you would write about road construction that makes our roads worse instead of better.
I can’t be the only one noticing this and feeling the frustration. Please do a few paragraphs about all the road construction that is going. Projects that actually tear up the roads and leave the road in way worse shape than before. There’s no coming along after and fixing the damage done to the road.
Most of these projects appear to be more of a drainage fix than an actual ‘road surfacing’ fix. Fixing drainage issues is great, but the downside is the road surface is shredded, trashed and not repaved. For example, Graham Hill Road and the big tree cutting project. The job was done and the slope looks safer but the road was made worse and unsafe! Graham Hill is so torn up, it’s a liability.
The second issue is that school is starting and the Soquel Avenue bushes are STILL not trimmed. Darn those trees and bushes that block all the speed limit and school zone signs on Soquel alongside Harbor High School. Last year, I wrote you about this. I called city public works and I called Harbor High. Nothing has been done. I am sure if you got involved the issue would be taken care of immediately.
Thank You and have a great week!
Sincerely,
Sharon Ferry, Boulder Creek
A: Glad I could help, Sharon. Now, both issues you refer to are the county’s jurisdiction.
In regard to Graham Hill Road, the improvement project there is is being completed in two phases during the summers of 2011 and 2012, said Steve Wiesner, assistant director of county public works.
This year, the contractor is focusing “on a large diameter main line storm drain pip with many smaller cross culvert connectors being installed as well,” he said. “These trench lines do cause some temporary undulations of the driving surface and will get totally redone in addition to a final asphalt concrete overlay once all the underground work has been completed.”
The paving will occur this fall, Wiesner said, followed by grooving and striping.
“It should look great and drive very nicely once the project is complete,” he said. “In the interim we are working with the contractor to adequately maintain the temporary patches and replenish the temporary pavement striping noted by Ms. Ferry. We respectfully request that drivers using this section of Graham Hill Road proceed with caution through the construction zone while this project is being built.”
In regard to trimming vegetation near Harbor High, done.
“In addition, Department of Public Works Road Crews are planning a larger more comprehensive trimming operation for the other areas along this section of Soquel Ave.,” added Wiesner.
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