The San Benito County Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday
awarding a contract of more than $400,000 for the construction of
traffic lights on Union Road at the San Benito Street and Southside
Road intersections.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday awarding a contract of more than $400,000 for the construction of traffic lights on Union Road at the San Benito Street and Southside Road intersections.
During its 9:30 a.m. meeting the Board is scheduled to review bids from nine construction companies vying for the contract to build the traffic signals. The contract is expected to be for more than $400,000 but less than the $551,000 limit set by the Board.
Supervisors sent the project out for bids Jan. 7 with the hopes of getting it completed by late summer.
County Public Works Director Doug Koenig said plans also call for an added turn lane from San Benito Street onto Union Road and raising the bank of the westbound curve at the intersection to make it easier for cars to negotiate.
“Both projects were approved during the budget process last fall,” Koenig said.
Before the projects can be put into motion, the Board must formally adopt the plans and send the project out for bid.
Once a company is chosen to install the lights and complete the other road improvements, Koenig said the project would not take long to finish. If the project would cause too much of a traffic disruption, officials would consider delaying construction until after San Benito High School is out for the summer, he said.
“We don’t want to create a worse (traffic) problem while school is in session,” Koenig said.
The project will not cost the county any money. The Measure A authority authorized $400,000 for improvements at the intersection of Union Road and San Benito Street, with the understanding that any costs over that amount would be paid through the local Traffic Impact Fee account.
