The roads of the Copperopolis Basin are in need of major repair. The winter rain storms of 2017 inflicted major damage on the Mother Lode region. Road crews, with limited funds, have been attempting to temporarily repair roads as planning moves ahead for complete repaving of roads.
For example, next year the Parrots Ferry Road between Calaveras and Tuolumne County will require major repairs for at least three months in 2019 due an entire embankment that is collapsing a few miles from the Parrots Ferry Bridge. This project will cost $1.2 million.
The Copper Cove Association Board has been working with Calaveras County Supervisor Dennis Mills to begin a plan to repair our roads. Fortunately, a plan is underway and some of the road repairs will start this summer. In some cases very temporary repairs have been done of some of our local roads.
Little John Repair
A project was undertaken to repair Little John Road between Copper Cove Drive and Kiva Drive. The Copper Cove Association contacted Supervisor Mills and requested in the looking to the poor state of the repairs on the busy road in Copper Cove. He immediately wrote the Calaveras County Public Works Department and County Administrative Officer requesting a complete review of the repairs. Local residents have complained about the bumpy road that Little John has become following the repair job. (See Calaveras County Supervisor Mill’s Press Release at bottom)
Road Plan
In determining the priority of road repair projects, each project is scored. The scoring is based upon public health/safety, threat to county asset, demand and emergency response, public welfare, leverage funds, and efficiency. So our roads projects here compete with the needs across the county. A project scored at 50-50 for example means that the it meets 100% of all criteria.
The Copper Cove Association has worked with the Supervisor encouraging the adoption of a plan to address our needs. As a result in part of the work with him, the county is now adopting a number of projects as having a high priority, however much more needs to be done.
Some of the work now being scheduled includes:
· Bow Drive – One and a quarter miles of Bow Drive from Little John will be resurfaced this year at a cost of $240k as a funded project covered by state funding. This work has been approved by the Board to be done this summer.
· Little John Road – It appears that the repaving of Little John from Saddle Creek to Kiva is needed, receiving a score of 38 of 50. This will cost $900k and it appears that project will take place in the 2020 summer. The Association supports expediting this project. This project has been rescheduled to 2020 due to the failure of Parrotts Ferry Road.
· O’Byrnes Ferry Road – The pot holes and the disrepair is clearly evident and was scored with a 50 out 50 which means that it is a high priority. The officials agree that it needs to be repaved from the county line to Reeds Turnpike at a cost of $7.1 million. Funding will be the issue due to such a large project but it is a top priority.
· Arrowhead – The county is also considering work on Arrowhead from Flint Trail to Little John. It has scored at 16 of 50 with a cost of $50k but it has a lower priority than other projects but, with its lower cost, there is a possibility it may fit into other work in the basin.
Other projects are being considered but these four are moving ahead.
Also projects underway in the Copperopolis basin include:
· Diamond XX Bridge – The Singletree Bridge in Diamond 20 is in the cycle to go out to bid next spring and completed next year. Funding will come from state bridge and toll funds with no local funds needed. It was destroyed in a spring storm in 2006
· Diamond XX Bridge – The low water crossing on Upper Stagecoach will become a bridge with construction set to begin this spring. Funds will come from state bridge and toll funds. This crossing has been impassable during spring storms creating a safety hazard to residents.
· Poker Flat Left Turn Lane – The left turn pocket at Poker Flat is in the 2019 plan to complete. The power lines have been moved and some environmental work will be done this year before construction.
Background on Funding Challenges for the County
It is important for Copperopolis residents to understand the challenge local governments have in meeting all of the demands for road repair but with limited funds. There are other areas of county that are in severe need of repair or reconstruction. The assets of county roads encompass all areas of the county and staff should have the latitude to know where to make the best use of state/federal funds available each year to make the needed maintenance work stretch.
For the record, all roads in the Butte Fire burn scar area that were damaged in 2015 have yet to be even temporarily repaired. Some of the delay is due to Public Works having to handle emergency repairs due to washouts, slides, loss of culverts and road surfaces. Many of these projects have been handed off to our new OES Coordinator to handle allowing Public Works to get back to their core mission, maintaining our roads.
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Supervisor Mills Formally Requests Review of Little John Road Repair
(Copperopolis – May 3, 2018) Calaveras County Supervisor Dennis Mills has formally asked the officials of Calaveras County for a complete review of repair work done on Littlejohn Road in Copperopolis.
In a letter to the county’s chief administrative officer and director of public works, Supervisor Mills declared: “Recent repairs to Little John Road south to Kiva have created a firestorm of controversy among the residents that are using this road regularly now with more ripples, bumps and uneven surfaces they now encounter daily.” Mills noted “In their daily commutes, it has only served to make the road more dangerous and difficult to navigate.”
Mills added “As the Supervisor for this area, I am not pleased to see the overwhelming negative response from constituents who have a legitimate complaint on how these repairs were made. This has affected their lives and their safety.”
Mills announced that he will tour Little John Road Friday afternoon to inspect the repairs. He has asked concerned citizens to email him with their concerns to dmills@co.calaveras.ca.us . The Supervisor said he wants his constituents thoughts on what has happened recently to the roads the county repaired and how these repairs have affected them.
“In our efforts to deal with this problem I have asked the Public Works director to visit Copperopolis to see these road repairs first hand.” Mills concluded.