County presents road project updates

Residents won’t see a completed bridge over Santa Maria Creek on 13th Street for another five years, according to the county.

Two years ago the county was awarded a federal grant to construct a bridge over the creek bed and pave the dirt portion of 13th Street to provide easier access to Ramona Library and the downtown area from Walnut Street. The bridge was slated to be completed in 2017, but Mike Aguilar with the County’s Department of Public Works (DPW) said they are having some issues with Caltrans on the design.

Aguilar, who presented the information at Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s May 30 Ramona Revitalization Steering Committee meeting, said the area is a floodway and DPW must follow county standards.

Jacob asked why the state’s transportation agency is involved when 13th Street is a county road and the project is federally funded. Aguilar said Caltrans is administering the federal funds so it has to agree to the design.

The design is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2015 and right-of-way accomplished by second quarter 2016, according to DPW.

Aguilar also provided estimated completion dates for other road projects:

Dye Road Extension

— new road construction from Ramona Street to San Vicente Road.

•Design: Third quarter 2013

•Right-of -way: Fourth quarter 2015

•Construction: Second quarter 2018

Ramona Street Extension

— new road construction from Boundary Avenue to Warnock Drive

•Design: First quarter 2014

•Right-of-Way: Fourth quarter 2014

•Construction: Third quarter 2017

San Vicente Road Improvements

•Design: Completed

•Right-of-way: To be determined

•Construction: Summer 2015