By Mike Gervais
Register Staff

12-17-2009

One of the Big Pine projects, a $30,000 asphalt overlay on Home Street, from Pine Street to Washington Street, raised some questions. More than one board member was under the impression that the proposed project was located in Bishop, where the city recently completely reconstructed its Home Street.
Second District Supervisor Susan Cash, whose district includes Bishop’s Home Street, said she would not have supported the project if it was proposed on her Home Street, as that road had recently been repaved.
Once Pedersen explained that the project is actually slated for a severely dilapidated section of road in Big Pine, the board expressed unanimous support for the project list.
In addition to Home Street in Big Pine, Pedersen proposed projects on Pa Me Lane in Bishop from State Route 168 to the intersection of Indian Creek Road ($130,000), Locust Street in Big Pine from U.S. 395 to Washington Street ($30,000) and Sage Flat Road in Olancha ($116,000.)
“I think this is the worst road in the Third District,” Third District Supervisor Beverly Brown said of Pa Me.
“I went out and drove some of these roads once I saw this, and I completely agree with this list,” Fourth District Supervisor Marty Fortney said.
According to Pedersen, in order to get the most bang for the buck, the county has opted to go with asphalt overlays for all four projects, a relatively inexpensive rehabilitation and preservation process that improves the roads at minimal cost.
Pedersen said if the county aimed to fully rehabilitate a road, there would probably only be one project on the Prop 1B list.
“This is preventative maintenance that will make the roads last,” Pedersen said.
Pedersen said that the next round of Prop 1B funds will open for applicants early next year and the Public Works Department would be before the board some time in February to apply for approval of another round of projects.