Sometimes it pays to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Other times, it’s best to take the frugal route, especially in
these tough fiscal times for local government.
But we’re glad four out of five members of the County Board of
Supervisors used good old common sense in approving a new bridge
over the San Benito River at Hospital Road.
Sometimes it pays to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Other times, it’s best to take the frugal route, especially in these tough fiscal times for local government.
But we’re glad four out of five members of the County Board of Supervisors used good old common sense in approving a new bridge over the San Benito River at Hospital Road.
A new bridge, especially one constructed with the latest in building and testing technology, is essential in several ways.
It is vital in saving time for emergency response. As pointed out by Capt. Vic Loftin of the California Department of Forestry, the three to five minutes savings could mean the difference between the life and death of a heart attack victim.
That time importance is magnified when using a major fire, accident or other disaster as a response time example.
The bridge will also lessen increasingly heavy traffic over the bridge at Union Road and provide easier access for residents and those who work in the areas affected.
While the choice was the most costly for maintenance of the four presented – compared to abandoning the crossing, a season low river crossing, or a permanent low river crossing – the hefty construction bill will be paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Office of Emergency Services (OES).
That makes it a bargain for such a necessary addition and much less of a strain on the county’s General Fund.
In the past there were some complaints from area residents about a new bridge increasing traffic through some of the neighborhoods. But that is a minor sacrifice in return for better police, fire and emergency services, mainly to the residents of those same housing areas.
This is a sound project that should begin as soon as possible.
We salute Arman Nazemi of the Public Works Department for his excellent preparation of the options available and the county board members who voted for approving the vital and viable new bridge.
