Stanislaus leaders OK emergency repair of road. ‘State of county’ focuses on infrastructure
Stanislaus County supervisors took emergency action Tuesday evening to approve repairs for a storm-damaged road in the western part of the county.
Public works officials are concerned about settling and cracking on Del Puerto Canyon Road about 13 miles west of Interstate 5. The two-lane road winds through the Diablo Mountains west of Patterson.
The road remains open. Supervisors gave approval for the emergency repair project, which required at least a fourth-fifths vote from the board.
Public Works Director David Leamon said there are no estimates yet on the repair costs. He said the road is stable now and he did not recommend closing it.
Del Puerto is the only access road for ranchers and people living in the mountain area. The heavy storms in March damaged a 100-yard road section.
The settling and longitudinal cracks suggested the roadway and hillside could fail. County public works did temporary repairs to ensure the road could stay open. The Board of Supervisors expects to hear an update on the emergency project May 23.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, board chairman Channce Condit delivered the state of the county speech, saying the county should ensure equal opportunity for all residents.
He expressed pride that the board allocated $55.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds for improvements in unincorporated islands. An additional $15 million in county general funds has been directed to infrastructure projects including sidewalks, street lighting, water service and other upgrades.
The chairman said state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil has submitted a state budget request for $16 million to match local dollars, which could result in $32 million in more sidewalks and upgrades for the Parklawn and Bret Harte neighborhoods in south Modesto.
“In south Modesto, schoolchildren bring extra pairs of clothing to change into once at school because of pants soaked knee high when it rains and floods,” Condit said. “The elderly and disabled are unable to freely navigate their community due to unlevel dirt and gravel paths that offer no other option than to travel in the street.”
Condit downplayed his speech, saying future addresses “can only go up from here,” but thousands of residents will benefit if projects that he referenced come to fruition.
Possible step to improve health care
He said a proposal is on the table for an after-hours medical facility serving the county’s West Side, including Newman, Patterson and Grayson. Condit said the time is overdue for meeting the health care needs of western Stanislaus residents. The project could be a step toward establishing a hospital for those communities, he said.
Condit’s speech recognized work by county leaders on the Highway 132 bypass just west of Modesto, the Empire and Turlock libraries, Riverdale Tract improvements and proposals to widen McHenry Avenue.
He added that the Stanislaus 2030 Investment Blueprint shows “that far too many families are currently struggling in our local economy, and those struggles disproportionately impact our most vulnerable residents living in disadvantaged communities.”
The 2030 economic initiative should be supported to deliver quality jobs to residents and help “everyone compete equally in the economy we have,” Condit said.
