Supervisors authorize application for rubberized-pavement grant for Lower Ridge Road and Comanche collectors

County grants and public-works staff briefed the Board of Supervisors on a state rubberized-pavement grant and on county funds available for Ridge Road. Karen Warburton, grants program manager, said the county has approximately $2,395,000 in a Ridge Road fund and that completing Upper Ridge had an estimated cost of about $1.5 million, which would leave roughly $895,000 in the fund if Upper Ridge is completed.

Warburton presented a memo with cost estimates tied to chip-seal and rubberized-asphalt treatments. She said if Lower Ridge were done with the grant the county's out-of-pocket contribution could be approximately $264,000 (memo, table estimates), but later in public discussion a supervisor calculated that, under an alternative interpretation of the grant award rates, the county's share could be closer to $550,000 for the identified section. Warburton also said the CalRecycle-style grant has a minimum material requirement (2,000 tons) and that the maximum grant reduction cited was $375,000 in one example.

Supervisors and staff discussed practical issues including striping, traffic control, contractor experience with rubberized asphalt and whether the county could buy material at a discount and use it on other county paving. Contractors contacted by staff said the material is workable if installed without excessive reworking; staff suggested in-place trial patches would be feasible.

After discussion, Supervisor Evans moved and Supervisor Cornell seconded a motion to approve pursuing the grant with projects that include Lower Ridge Road and collectors in Comanche Village; the motion passed on a 5-0 vote. Staff said they would prioritize collector roads over low-use courts when assembling the final list for the grant application and would look at SB 1 and other funding sources to fill county-match needs.