Public works outlines road project schedule; board creates road‑improvements ad hoc

San Benito County Public Works presented a status update on existing and upcoming road projects and construction timelines at the Jan. 28 meeting, and the Board of Supervisors agreed to form an ad hoc to monitor progress and explore future road improvements.

Steve Loop, the county’s Public Works administrator, summarized projects from resurfacing and slurry seals to bridge work. Highlights included near‑term work on Prescott Road, Seeley Avenue adjustments, slurry seals on several local segments, and a ribbon‑cutting target for the Union Road bridge anticipated in March once bridge expansion joints installation finishes.

Loop said Fairview Road and San Juan Highway segments are in various stages of design and construction; the county recently placed several contractors on a job‑order‑contract roster to expedite work. He told the board that a planned Frasier Lake Road reconstruction and a Cole Road design were scheduled to start in summer 2025, subject to budget approval.

Supervisors asked for practical mitigation while long projects proceed: Supervisor Ignacio Velasquez requested temporary paint striping and other short‑term measures to improve visibility on major routes. Supervisor Curl asked for clarification on Cienega Road segments and confirmed projected federal funding for part of repairs.

After discussion the board reached consensus to form an ad hoc committee — chaired by Board Chair Colin Kosmicki with Supervisor Ignacio Velasquez as the member — to meet periodically, review schedules and consider requests for additional road projects beyond the current plan.

Ending: Public Works will publish project maps and timelines on the county website; the new ad hoc will report back to the board with recommended next steps and status updates.