Transportation

Supervisors Approve Countywide Road Improvements

County roads and local construction companies got a boost Wednesday when County supervisors unanimously approved spending roughly $3.3 million to resurface roadways, repair and build guardrails, drainage culverts, sidewalks, curbs and gutters around unincorporated areas.

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County roads and local construction companies got a boost Wednesday when County supervisors unanimously approved spending roughly $3.3 million to resurface roadways, repair and build guardrails, drainage culverts, sidewalks, curbs and gutters around unincorporated areas.

The Board’s vote will actually increase the total amount the County will spend this fiscal year to improve local roadways to roughly $7 million when combined with previously-approved allocations.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob noted that the spending would not only help motorists on County roadways by making sure that the roads are safe and well-maintained, but that it would also help local businesses.

“What these contracts mean to folks out there who are in the construction business is that this will create jobs and it will help some of our businesses that are still in a very tough economy,” Jacob said.

With the Board’s action, the County Department of Public Works (DPW) will advertise and award contracts to the lowest responsible bidders to do the work, which is expected to begin this summer.

The lion’s share of Wednesday’s allocations — a $2.5 million approval — will put new asphalt overlays on selected roads around the county, and push the yearly total for re-surfacing to $5.7 million.

DPW crews maintain more than 1,930 miles worth of roads, enough to stretch from San Diego to Mobile, Alabama.

To fight the effects of sun, heat, traffic and water that can create rips, tears, bumps and potholes, county road crews spend the year sweeping roads, applying new asphalt overlays, seals and slurries.

So far in the fiscal year that ends in June, DPW crews have swept nearly 19,000 lane-miles of road. They’ve also removed 21,402 cubic yards of debris and maintain more than 14,250 drainage culverts and 18,000 drainage facilities around the county.

Gig Conaughton is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact