Work on Modesto’s Virginia Corridor turns into a marathon

The wait continues for those eager to use Modesto’s latest addition to its Virginia Corridor, the paved trail popular with walkers, joggers and bicyclists.

A city official said last week it should take at least two more months before the roughly three-quarter-mile extension from Bowen to Woodrow avenues opens.

Work on the project started in February 2014 and originally was expected to be finished by last summer. But the city and its contractor – Fresno-based Cal Valley Construction – have hit a few potholes along the way.

The most recent centers on a disagreement between Modesto and Cal Valley over the surface of the trail after workers ground it in the fall to reduce the trail’s slope.

The north-south trail slopes slightly east to west so rain does not form puddles on it. The city contends Cal Valley paved the trail over the summer with too much of a slope. The city also claims the grinding made the surface too rough for people using wheelchairs, skateboards and bicycles with narrow tires.

Cal Valley denies all of the city’s claims and says the trail has been ready for use for months.

Cal Valley and Modesto officials reached a tentative agreement this month in which Cal Valley would replace the asphalt. But the details need to be worked out. City officials are putting together a proposal of what they want Cal Valley to do. As part of reaching a deal, Cal Valley officials will review it and determine how much the work will cost.

Cal Valley General Manager Clay Harmon says it’s his understanding Modesto will pay for the work. He said that could cost $200,000 but may be less depending on what Modesto asks his firm to do.

Modesto Parks Project Coordinator Nathan Houx said how much Modesto pays will be part of the negotiations. He added that he does not expect the project to go over budget, but the city may need to use more of the project’s contingency fund to pay for the work.

The project has a roughly $3 million budget, with $2.3 million of that for construction. The construction budget includes $170,763 for contingencies to cover unforeseen circumstances. Houx said there is roughly $93,000 of that money remaining. City officials have said the funding for the project comes from state and federal grants.

Harmon said there has been a disconnect between how the city envisioned the project and what it asked Cal Valley to do, as spelled out in its contract and in other documents. “The city had an idea of how they conceived the project vs. what the contract told us to do,” he said.

Houx disagreed. But he acknowledged the delays have been frustrating for the city and those who use the trail. He said he and Park Planning and Development Manager Loren Holt are getting three or four emails or calls a week, between them, from residents regarding the project.

“Obviously this project should have been done in August, September or October, even with some of the delays we’ve had,” Houx said. “Both parties are working together to resolve this. ... We know there is a lot of interest in the trail and people want to use it; that’s why we are trying to move as fast as we can.”

Dan Sturdevant is among those keeping tabs on the project. He said he and his 10-year-old twins, Maci and Paige, ride their bikes along the trail several times a week. The family lives near the Bowen-Woodrow addition.

He said he also is frustrated by not being able to use a trail that appears to be ready for the public. Sturdevant said he and his daughters rode the new part of the trail one day after it had been ground to reduce the slope. He said workers were on the site and had left the gate open. The trail offered a smooth ride and appeared to be built to a higher standard than older parts of the trail, he said.

The Virginia Corridor starts at College Avenue on its southern end. The Bowen-to-Woodrow extension will increase the corridor’s total length to about 2.75 miles. Modesto’s goal, as funding becomes available, is to extend the trail to Bangs Avenue, for a total length of 4.2 miles.

This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 5:02 AM with the headline "Work on Modesto’s Virginia Corridor turns into a marathon."