Update On Wards Ferry Road Storm Damage Repairs

TCPW photo

Tuolumne County, CA — Wards Ferry Road remains closed for storm damage repairs, and there is no estimated reopening date.

After two site assessments (one in February and another in March) by Tuolumne County Public Works Department staff and geotechnical engineers, it was determined that the damage caused a substantial concern for public safety and that repairs were needed before vehicles could use the roadway.

“There are two slides on the south side of the Tuolumne River and five slides on the north side. All of the slides are undermining the roadway, leaving it impassable to vehicles,” according to public works officials. They added, “Geotechnical core samples were taken in mid-April, and laboratory analysis was performed on the soil. It appears that the roadway failed along the centerline of the road, with the outside slope of highly weathered soil sliding. The slopes in the slide areas are extremely steep, limiting our repair solutions.”

The final project design is expected to be underway soon, as public works plans to have it out to bid in the coming weeks.

“Every effort was made to design a repair that could be constructed quickly and with locally available equipment and materials to minimize delays, relayed public works officials, noting, “Even before this assessment, the public works team was working towards a resolution, including securing consultant services and securing federal emergency funding.”

Additionally, design solutions for the northern slides will be developed after additional surveying work is completed. An update was given last week on Tuolumne Road North storm damage repairs, as earlier reported here.