Inyo County supervisors authorize emergency Whitney Portal culvert repairs, adopt state density-bonus rules and approve grant services

The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on March 11 authorized emergency road repairs at Whitney Portal, adopted an ordinance to replace the county density-bonus overlay with the state density-bonus law, and renewed a contract for outside grants strategy services.

Public Works Director Mike Arante told the board maintenance crews found a cavity and eroded pipe beneath Whitney Portal Road that has compromised soil and made roadway failure "imminent." Arante asked the board to amend the FY2024–25 road budget and award a contract to Speese Construction for $590,000 to replace the failed conduit and restore the roadway. He said necessary concrete pipe is en route from Tucson, Arizona, permitting with BLM, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish & Wildlife and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is underway, and the contractor projected a start as early as March 17 with temporary reopening by…