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Published July 16th, 2014
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August Start for Pavement Project
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| Information session for residents July 24 |
| By Sophie Braccini |
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Moraga's 2014 pavement campaign gets underway in August and when the dust settles in November, 28 street segments will be ready for prime time. The neighborhood roads repair project is funded by Measure K, the 1 percent sales tax approved by voters in 2012.
Last year the town addressed about 50 percent of its neighborhood streets, those that were in fair condition. This year it will reconstruct streets that are in poor condition; failed roads will be tackled in 2015.
The reconstruction of certain roads, including Rimer, Larch, the lower part of Alta Mesa, and Calle La Mesa, will impact not only residents of the affected streets but those living nearby who need to use these streets as transit paths. At an informational meeting July 10 a representative from construction management company Ghirardelli Associates said that only one side of each street will be closed to traffic at any given time, unless the street is a small court or something unexpected happens.
As it did last year, the town and its contractors are setting in place an extensive communication program to minimize the inconvenience to residents. This week volunteers began going door to door on affected streets to distribute information, and outreach sessions will be held at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on July 24 at the Hacienda de las Flores, 2100 Donald Dr. In addition, residents should receive a letter from the town approximately three weeks before work begins.
The meeting that took place on July 10 was designed for the volunteers who are out pounding the pavement. Edric Kwan, public works director, explained to volunteers the different phases of the work that will start in August.
First, teams will do base repairs on streets that need them - such as excavating and repairing pot holes - then cracks will be sealed. The next step will consist of building the concrete ADA compliant curb ramps that are now required by law. This preliminary work will impact only a small portion of the streets and will not require any closures.
As the project progresses, residents will see single-lane closures on some streets as they are milled to remove the layers of asphalt that have built up over the years, slowly raising the height of the streets. Still other streets will need only their edges ground, but that will also require a machine chugging slowly along.
Once the streets are milled, residents will be able to drive on the roads that will feel rough and unfinished, until the final phase begins - the repaving process.
Kwan explained that because the town received very competitive bids, he was able to recommend the use of rubberized hot mix asphalt overlays for a majority of the streets. He said that this road treatment costs 10 percent more than the regular hot mix asphalt, but it lasts twice as long. "Rubberized hot mix asphalt has a lot of great properties," he said. "It retards cracks from coming back through, and it dampens sounds, so when cars drive on it you won't hear it as much."
Residents will experience the biggest impact while their streets are being repaved. Instructional signage will be posted five days prior to the start of the work; then three days before repaving begins, "No Parking" signs will be installed.
During the 2013 campaign, the police department did not need to tow any vehicles to clear the way for paving crews. Volunteer John Haffner recalls, "Last year we ran across a parked car whose owner was in Europe for six weeks. His neighbor was able to contact him and get the information on the location of a spare key, so the car was moved in time." Ghirardelli Associates project manager Mary Erchul, the liaison between the construction company and residents, said she will do everything possible to avoid towing any cars.
There are several ways residents can stay informed about the project's progress. On the ground, Erchul will be the person to contact for the latest information. She uses Twitter - the account is @MoragaMeasureK for direct questions. The Public Works department will regularly update the three-week outlook on the town's website, www.moraga.ca.us/paving. Kwan said the project's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MoragaMeasureK, will be updated daily and can be viewed without creating a Facebook account. Questions can be asked by phone or email, (925) 888-7026 or publicworks@moraga.ca.us.
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Town Council Meeting Tonight
The Moraga Town Council will decide July 16 whether or not to award the roughly $3.3 million contract for the pavement construction project to Bay Cities, the lowest bidder. The council is also scheduled to make a decision regarding the formation of a Geologic Hazard Abatement District.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA