HOLLISTER
The completion of the Highway 25 bypass is nearing. And although a precise timeline for finishing the project remains unclear, a transportation official said the current estimate is Feb. 20.
“We are getting very close,” said Mary Dinkuhn, transportation planning manager for the Council of San Benito County Governments. “I can tell you that they are almost finished with all paving and will start striping in the next few days, and they are putting signs up.”
“We are still waiting for PG&E to supply some electrical and gas line work so that the signals can be energized,” continued Dinkuhn, who added that she has been unsuccessful in getting the utility company to commit to a time frame.
Regarding the shoulder cracks discovered in October that required lengthy and expensive repairs, Dinkuhn said the problem has been fixed, “They redid the subgrade material and put down a fabric that prevents cracks as an additional layer of protection, and that has allowed them to do the final paving,” she said.
The project, slated to be finished Nov. 24, is now 50 days overdue. Graniterock-Pavex is supposed to pay $8,600 a day in penalties, which would amount to $430,000 to this point.
A firm date for the opening cannot be made at this time, said Dinkuhn. But the planning manager did say they are scheduling a “soft” grand opening in the next two to three weeks.
“It would be a soft opening where we wouldn’t open it to vehicles right away,” she said.
