Supervisors approve construction contract process for Pala Mission Road culverts

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 August 6 to authorize the advertisement for bid and subsequent award of a construction contract for new drainage culverts across Pala Mission Road.

The supervisors also allocated $900,000 for the project and found that the environmental Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the work was completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.

Two roadway dip sections cause stream flow from Pala Creek and Trujillo Creek to cross over Pala Mission Road during various rainfall events, and the construction of new drainage culverts at those two locations will provide better traffic flow as well as reducing potential flooding in the roadway.

An August 2003 agreement with the Pala Band of Mission Indians provided the county with $1,310,000 to improve Pala Temecula Road, including culvert improvements on that road.

The Pala Temecula Road improvements totaled approximately $1,110,000, and the Pala tribe has agreed to spend the remaining $200,000 for the drainage improvements on Pala Mission Road.

The remaining $700,000 will be obtained from Proposition 42 funding; Proposition 42 was the March 2002 ballot measure which dedicated the sales tax on gasoline to roads.

Although the supervisors’ action authorizes the advertisement for bid, the contract will not be awarded until after the necessary environmental permits have been obtained.

The work is scheduled to begin in October and be completed in January, and traffic control measures will be implemented so that all roads will remain open and impacts to the community will be limited.

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