Supervisors Approve Emergency Repairs For Tuolumne Road North

TC Public Works Department Image

Tuolumne, CA — Tuolumne Road North could be opening in several weeks, instead of months, following a board of supervisors 5-0 vote.

The road has been closed since March, near Ponderosa Hills, due to storm damage. The price tag for the temporary repairs is around $30,000, and it is in addition to the bigger, more permanent repairs, that are needed. District Three Supervisor Anaiah Kirk represents the Tuolumne area, and argued in favor, noting, “If the consultants say we can make it safe and mitigate it (from danger)…I think it is a small price we can pay to open up a major collector road.”

Kirk said there are fire concerns related to not having the road open, and the move will alleviate some of the congestion issues that could arise with schools restarting later this month.

The short-term emergency work will include the relocation of k-rails, road surface repairs, repairing a culvert, and installing slow-speed signs.

County Public Works Department leaders did stress that the road will have to be closed again, though, if there is rain, or any new roadway movement. It will be monitored closely.

The county will need to hire a land surveyor to help do the short-term repairs, so it is not immediately clear how soon the road might reopen. If things move at an expedited pace, there is hope that it could all happen before the end of August.

The permanent repairs ($1.5-million price tag) which include installing horizontal drains and anchoring the road to stable rock, are anticipated to take place throughout the Fall months.