Caltrans is accepting comments
on plans to expand Hwy. 156 through October
Public hearings for the proposed Hwy.156 improvements started
this week and while many kept an open mind regarding what has been
proposed, some were not satisfied.
Caltrans is accepting comments
on plans to expand Hwy. 156 through October
Public hearings for the proposed Hwy.156 improvements started this week and while many kept an open mind regarding what has been proposed, some were not satisfied.
Caltrans and the San Benito County Council of Governments hosted two public hearings this week to discuss the improvements for Hwy. 156 between the Alameda in San Juan Bautista and just east of Fourth Street in San Benito County.
Caltrans Project Manager Richard Rosales was at both meetings to discuss plans with the public.
The area in question is the existing 5.2-mile segment of Hwy.156 that is a two-lane conventional expressway to the east. The highway serves slow-moving farm and truck traffic as well as faster-moving local and commuter traffic, often in congested conditions, according to Caltrans. Access to properties bordering 156 is now allowed for the entire length of the project, according to Caltrans.
Caltrans has proposed three alternatives that range in cost from between $59 to $75 million. Part of the funds have already been collected so the actual costs still needed for the project are between $36 million and $48 million.
“Funding is already in place for design and property acquisition,” Rosales said. “Construction funding has not yet been acquired, but there should be around $9 million from [San Benito County Council of Governments] collected from Traffic Impact Fees.”
All three alternatives would widen the existing two-lane highway to a four-lane divided highway between the Alameda and the Hollister bypass, as well as add a new bridge over San Juan Creek.
One alternative consisted of a four-lane expressway without conventional sides, so there would be no driveways for access and the only accessible entryways to the expressway would be via the county roads.
The next alternative consisted of a conventional highway between Mission Vineyard and Union Road that would extend the existing driveways to meet the new highway.
The last plan was similar to the first, in that it features an expressway, but would add one additional access point near the center of the expressway, at Bixby Road. The other difference between the first alternative is that it would feature no southern frontage road.
“It certainly looked like they’d done their homework,” said Marie Rodriguez, a resident of San Juan. “I didn’t have any comments for them, mostly because I haven’t decided yet whether I like this idea or not.”
The biggest challenge for the project, according to Rosales was finding ways to minimize the impacts.
“For example, the median widths that allow for recovery,” Rosales said. “Those specs were not set in stone, but we must get approvals. So instead of a 62-foot median, we requested a 46-foot median. We tried to keep it small so we reduced the impact. Also, within San Juan we reduced the median width to 30 feet to reduce impacts to the RV park so we won’t have to acquire any property within the town. It will look pretty much the same as it does where the existing four-lane road is now.”
But that didn’t put some people at ease.
“I don’t know why they have to change things at all,” said Sally Smith, another resident. “I think they should just leave things alone. Keep the road the same way it’s always been.”
The 45-day public review period ends October 15. After Caltrans has had a chance to address all the public comments they will resubmit the project. Those who would like to review the three plans, can view them online at the Caltrans Web site, www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/projects. Comments can be addressed to Bobi Lyon-Ritter at [email protected].
Final approval could be granted by August of 2008. From there design would be the next stage. If everything goes according to plan construction could begin by summer of 2011 with a completion date set for fall of 2013.
