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State Route 140
Ferguson Slide Restoration Project In Mariposa County
| On May 23, 2007 CalTrans was in Mariposa presenting an informational meeting on the proposed alternatives that they will select from in a few months to permanently restore full access to the Merced River corridor of Highway 140. |
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| CalTrans Representatives were welcoming people to view the displays, to ask questions and to leave them with
written comments. History of the project was represented on display boards along with a study that is being conducted on a community impact assessment of the slide and how it has affected Mariposa County. Seven alternatives were on display with one of those being simply to not rebuild at all. Cross sections of each proposed alternative were set up on display boards. The alternatives vary in price from $35M for Alternative S the Viaduct Realignment to $378M for Alternative T-2 a Southern Tunnel Realignment. Various artist renderings were on display on how they would look if built. A complete removal of the slide is estimated to cost $71M the same cost as constructing a Rock Shed/ Tunnel through the Rockfall debris. Construction is on the agenda to begin during Spring of 2009. Alternative S the Viaduct Realignment could maybe be built in one year as CalTrans has experience building that kind of bridge structure. An information display was set up on the Biology of the area that will be affected by the designs, including the Limestone Salamander, foothills woodland and the Merced Clarkia, an annual plant. One of the displays gave a timeline on environmental studies that will have to be conducted. From Architectural History to a Wild And Scenic River Evaluation. A few of the citizens told the Sierra Sun Times that CalTrans just needs to get out there and get the job done. CalTrans needs all comments to be submitted in writing by June 22, 2007. Either at lance_brangham@dot.ca.gov Or Caltrans Environmental Planning Lance Brangham 2015 East Shields Ave. Suite 100 Fresno, CA 93726 CalTrans is putting all the information that was presented to the public on the Caltrans website in the next few days the Sierra Sun Times was told. |