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Water system work to clear way for Caltrans |
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Thursday, 17 January 2008 |
 This stretch of road on the north side of Independence is where Caltrans identified a water main and three fire hydrants that were in the way of the state’s highway expansion project. After some research and negotiations, the county will be relocating one hydrant and making minor altercations to two others, rather than relocating the whole system. Photo by Jon Klusmire By Mike Gervais
Register Staff 1-15-2008
The Inyo County Public Works Department did its homework, and after more than a year of research is ready to roll on a small renovation of the Independence town water system to accommodate Caltrans’ highway expansion through the county seat.By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
After some negotiations, the county will be relocating only one component of the Independence water system and making minor adjustments on two others, rather than undertaking a large-scale relocation requested by Caltrans two years ago.
It was in 2006, while preparing for construction of the Independence-Manzanar Four-Lane Project (which aims to construct another two lanes of traffic on U.S. 395 between Manzanar and Big Pine), that Caltrans located portions of the Independence water system that were within the state right-of-way. Caltrans requested that the county relocate those portions of the water system so that it could continue with its road expansion project.
Inyo County Public Works Director Ron Chegwidden, however, was able to conduct some research and prove that some of the water system pre-existed the state’s right-of-way.
Among the four parts of the Independence water system identified by Caltrans for relocation were the central water main that goes up Wall Street into the the Independence Airport area, and one fire hydrant. Two additional fire hydrants were identified for lesser work. Those pieces must be raised several inches to meet the same elevation as the new sidewalk that is planned after the four-lane project is complete.
Through its research, the PublicWorks Department was able to identify parts of the water system that outdated the state right-of-way.
Inyo County Public Works Engineering Assistant Paul Hancock “did some extensive, focused research” in order to accomplish this, Chegwidden said. “The water system has gone through many hands over the years” and locating the maps and deeds that predate the 1920s right-of-way was no easy task, Chegwidden said.
“We were able to identify the waterline and everything south of Dehy Park with town site maps,” said the Public Works director.
Public Works was not able to locate documents proving that the Wall Street main outdated the right-of-way, however.
“As a result, the water utility is considered an encroachment within the state right-of-way and the county is obligated to relocate any facilities that interfere with the proposed construction,” according to the Public Works Department.
Originally, the county was going to be required to relocate the main from Wall Street to the Independence Airport. That project would have carried a $150,000 price tag. But “we were able to work with Caltrans to be able to allow that main to stay in its current location,” Chegwidden said.
Since the water system does not have the $150,000 necessary to relocate the that main line, the Public Works Department obtained a concession from Caltrans and the “county will not be required to relocate the main and Caltrans will install certain improvements to protect the main,” Chegwidden told the Inyo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
Furthermore, the county is still required to relocate one fire hydrant and raise another at its own expense. A third fire hydrant must be raised, but because it is in a preexisting location, the county will be reimbursed for those costs.
The Public Works Department has allocated $14,000 from the Independence Water Upgrade budget to pay for the relocation and raising of the fire hydrant. The major costs for the project will be incurred during the relocation of the fire hydrant. As far as raising the hydrant, “that’s relatively minor costs,” Chegwidden said.
The Inyo County Water Department was able to donate two fire hydrant extension kits to Public Works to help mitigate those costs even more.
With the Board of Supervisor’s approval, Chegwidden sent the utility agreement, outlining the Public Works Department’s plans to relocate one fire hydrant at its own expense, raise one fire hydrant at its own expense and raise a third hydrant at the state’s expense.
“I appreciate the work you’ve done getting this down to $14,000” from $150,000, Fourth District Supervisor Jim Bilyeu told Chegwidden on Tuesday. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 22 February 2008 )
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