Work on the 1.7-mile stretch of road scheduled to wrap up last
December won’t restart until some time this summer
Gilroy – City engineers are reviewing a plan to repair and complete the half-finished roadwork along Santa Teresa Boulevard, though construction will not begin until summer.
Granite Construction Company, the contractor hired to widen the city’s western traffic artery, discontinued work on the road last October after city officials discovered early signs of deterioration. Since then, the city and contractor have conducted independent testing to determine the source of tire ruts forming in the freshly paved, southbound lane of the road. On March 15, Granite representatives presented the city with a repair plan for Santa Teresa, which has remained lined with orange cones for months.
“It could be a combination of additional (asphalt) layers or some dig-out, but we’re not sure yet. Those are two definite possibilities,” said Kurt Kniffin, the Watsonville branch manager for Granite Construction. “Right now the city is going to do some additional testing to determine how to fix the road properly. Nothing’s going to happen until the summer out there. You need the proper weather.”
City officials have denied Dispatch requests for documents related to the Santa Teresa Boulevard project. They have even refused to identify the pavement expert hired to study road conditions or disclose how much they paid for the service, citing state laws that allow governments to withhold such information when it could jeopardize their position in a current or future lawsuit.
When city officials first disclosed road problems in January, they warned about the possibility of a prolonged court battle to decide who would foot the bill for repairs. Final responsibility could hinge on whether it was the city’s or Granite’s decision to pave the road during rainy winter months, when both sides believe the water intrusion occurred.
Kniffin said that neither side delved into who would pay for repairs during last week’s meeting.
“Right now we’re working with the city to determine what’s wrong with the road and how to fix it,” he said. “I’m hoping they get back to us in a couple of weeks. … Whatever we do we want to do the right thing for the public and make sure they (experience) as little inconvenience as possible.”
Traffic has been restricted to just one lane on southbound Santa Teresa Boulevard since last fall. The widening from two to four lanes along a 1.7-mile stretch of the road was scheduled for completion by December 2005.
