| | Published July 7th, 2021
| 25A Orinda Way about to break ground and, unfortunately, a newly repaved street
| | | By Sora O'Doherty |  | | Lamo archive |
Just as the Orinda City Council was about to approve a contract for the repaving of the entire length of Orinda Way, the developer of 25A Orinda Way announced that they are about to break ground on the project. Developer Paul Ugenti won approval from the council in June of 2020 for The Station, a mixed-use development combining office space with retail and restaurants, as well as some community amenities; it will be the first major development in downtown Orinda since Theatre Square in 1989.
Public Works Director Larry Theis pulled the repaving contract from the city's consent calendar because he wanted to avoid the surprise to the council or the public that might occur if they observed the street being repaved, and them quickly cut into by the developer. "It's not ideal," Theis agreed, but he explained to the council how the repaving project was being largely funded through federal grants, and how the contract offered an excellent price that the city might not be able to match if the repaving were delayed. However, he explained to the council that after repaving, the street would be subject to a moratorium that requires much more extensive restoration when a street is cut into within five years of repaving.
Council Member Inga Miller wondered if the federal funds could be redirected to another shovel-ready project, but Theis said the funds were not easily transferable. He advised against delaying the repaving of Orinda Way because it is unknown how long the construction at 25A will take and also because it will only affect a small portion of the repaved roadway.
Other considerations include that the developer will need to place a crane on the street, and there will be dump trucks removing earth that will be excavated from the site traveling on the newly paved road as well. It is possible that instead of totally closing one traffic lane, it could be rerouted through the parking lot in front of the Orinda Community Center. Vice Mayor Dennis Fay suggested that they might be able to locate the crane in the parking lot behind 25A, but Theis said that there were other issues, including the placement of a construction trailer. The work could take as long as one year and, he added, the developer has been trying to work with the neighbors, but it hasn't gone well.
Mayor Amy Worth expressed concern about the damage to the newly repaved road caused by the crane and the trucks. Theis said that in terms of possible reimbursement for damage to the road, it will be easier to point to the damage if the road has just been repaved. The repaving is scheduled to start in early August.
New city manager David Biggs said that the good news is that there are two good news stories, the repaving of Orinda Way and the long-anticipated development arriving in downtown Orinda. |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA