Cienega fixes on the way
Cienega Road is one of San Benito County’s favorite drives. The
winding two-lane ribbon offer’s an hour’s respite from daily life
for the cost of a gallon of gas. It offers views, varied
landscapes, history and the prospect of memorable wildlife and
wildflower viewing.
Cienega fixes on the way
Cienega Road is one of San Benito County’s favorite drives. The winding two-lane ribbon offer’s an hour’s respite from daily life for the cost of a gallon of gas. It offers views, varied landscapes, history and the prospect of memorable wildlife and wildflower viewing.
But there are some bumps in the road to paradise. The once-rural road carries more traffic than it ever has. The wine industry brings more vineyard truck traffic, Hollister Hills State Park draws heavier loads of off-road vehicle enthusiasts and a gravel quarry uses the road to haul rock. When rains arrive, the region’s notoriously fickle hills begin to writhe around a little, and the result is a pretty pockmarked road.
County Engineer Arman Nazemi said there’s no road more expensive to maintain in San Benito than Cienega. The combination of an antique roadbed, growing traffic and weather are the culprits, he confirmed.
Within the past year, one substandard bridge at Pescadero Creek was replaced, and work is now under way on another, just north of the entrance to Hollister Hills State Park.
But back to the potholes. Nazemi said that Cienega is part of the regular maintenance schedule, and that county crews apply patches as the holes open, so passersby can expect repairs soon.
“It’s going to continue to be maintained regularly,” he assured the Pinnacle.
Nazemi went on to offer a suggestion: if you have a concern, just drop a dime.
“If there’s an area with a specific problem, people just need to call it in so we can take a look at it and go address it,” he said.
The way to do that is to call the road department at 636-4170.
If only all government was that user friendly.
Know of an area that needs attention? Call the Weekend Pinnacle at 637-6300 or send an e-mail to [email protected].
