Pioneer Boulevard road work nears completion

Photo by Raul Samaniego

NORWALK – The long-awaited completion of the Pioneer Boulevard median and resurfacing project nudged closer to completion Wednesday as crews were replacing access hole cover assemblies up and down the east side of Pioneer.

City Engineer Bill Zimmerman, in an on-site interview, said that the, “median [final paving] lane-striping will be done within three weeks.”

The new street signals at Hopland and Ferina Streets is currently backlogged by four months, according to Edison, Zimmerman added.

The electrical work will include the necessary wiring required for the median watering systems as well.

Additionally, the primary “cat tracking” (the outline of lanes prior to painting) has been done and is waiting for the city to approve their layout before painting occurs.

This may be for naught, for portions of the work will undergo further repair due to unforeseen problems with the underlying sub basin (gravel support area) which will have to be repaired so as not to experience buckling in the future, this according to Zimmerman.

Zimmerman is completing the first year of a five-year contract his engineering company has with the city valued at $288,000 per year. His company has a total of 11 employees.

Another project nearing completion is the improvements to Foster Road which includes “side panels, bike path striping, landscaping and safety lighting for the sidewalk area,” stated Zimmerman.

According to Zimmerman, “The total budget for the Pioneer Blvd. project is close to two and a half million dollars ($2.345 million).”

All of the costs have been covered by Measure R and County Metro funds.

By Raul Samaniego, contributor