Hollister
– The Highway 25 bypass project has been in the works for more
than a decade, but county planner Mary Dinkuhn said preparations
are in their
”
final, final stages.
”
Hollister – The Highway 25 bypass project has been in the works for more than a decade, but county planner Mary Dinkuhn said preparations are in their “final, final stages.”
Dinkuhn said the construction contract should go out to bid by the end of this month, and work should start by February.
Jerry Muenzer, owner of Muenzer’s Cyclery and Sports Center, said the bypass can’t happen soon enough.
“The sooner we get the shovel into the ground, the better it will be,” he said.
Not everyone is so excited. A number of local landowners whose property was claimed for the bypass project via eminent domain said the county’s valuation of their land was far below market value. Continued negotiation between landowners and the county delayed the project by more than a year.
Dinkuhn, who is the transportation planning manager for the county’s Council of Governments, told the Free Lance that four of the original 15 or 20 landowners have yet to settle with the county. She added that the county gained control of the land in July, so the ongoing litigation should not delay the construction process.
Aptos-based lawyer Dennis Kehoe represents Janet Roberts, who continues to contest the county’s claim to her property. Kehoe said the county proceeds with construction at its own risk.
“If Mrs. Roberts prevails … and they’ve put concrete over her property, they’re going to have to hire another contractor to take the concrete off, as well as paying her damages,” Kehoe said.
He said another of his client’s major concerns is that the public hearing to consider taking her property was “a sham,” because COG’s board of directors had already made up its mind. Kehoe said Roberts is seeking “precondemnation damages,” because the project’s initial approval essentially meant she couldn’t sell her property.
“Her property’s been in jail since the early ’90s,” Kehoe said. “Now we’re going to get it out of jail.”
Roberts’ trial date will be set in January.
Pat Stone, co-owner of South Valley Trailers, said the project is forcing him to move his business to a new piece of land on the corner of Flynn Road and Highway 25. Despite this, he still supports the bypass.
“The town has to progress,” Stone said. “That’s why we were proactive in getting that piece of property.”
According to Stone, South Valley Trailers has been on the same piece of rental property for 12 years. Once Stone knew he was in the bypass’s path, he and his wife started looking for another parcel of land, which was a challenge. And now that the company has purchased a new, five-acre location, there are still obstacles; for one thing, the state-imposed moratorium on new sewer hookups means the Stones will have to build a special sewage tank.
“So far, (the county) has demonstrated a willingness to help us,” Stone said. He’s hopeful that COG will make it easier for him to navigate the permit and planning process, but the final outcome remains to be seen.
“We’re holding our breath,” Stone said.
The Highway 25 bypass has been discussed for decades, but Dinkuhn said plans began in earnest in 1989 with the passage of Measure A. The project, estimated to cost $43 million, will create a leg of Highway 25 that bypasses downtown Hollister. Dinkuhn said the bypass will be a new road near McCray Street; she previously estimated that construction should be completed within two years.
Muenzer, who is on the Hollister Downtown Association’s economic restructuring committee, said the bypass will be a boon to downtown shops.
“Basically, the flow going down San Benito Street will be lower and slower,” he said.
Muenzer also noted that as part of a state highway, San Benito Street falls within the jurisdiction of the California Department of Transportation. Once the bypass is built, it will be under the city’s control, allowing it to build traffic lights, stop signs and crosswalks where it likes.
When asked if he’s worried that the bypass could actually hurt business, Muenzer said he isn’t, because most of the traffic on Highway 25 doesn’t stop downtown anyway. He added that even though Muenzer’s is located on Fifth Street, which has a traffic light, he’s still heard many pedestrian complaints about cars in a hurry.
“The circulation is going to be so much better,” Muenzer said. “More people are going to come into all the stores downtown.”
The long-delayed bypass is, Dinkuhn said, the first major project she’s managed, and it’s been a challenging experience.
“The benefit (of the problems) is that everything’s been done right,” she said.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at (831) 637-5566 ext. 330 or
ah*@fr***********.com
.
