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Contact: David Moore, (760) 252-6142
Superintendent Todd J. Suess has announced the approval of a 10-week road construction program scheduled to begin in the spring. The program will alter road designs in some locations of Mojave National Preserve and will address conditions intended to enhance driving safety. This $7,731,355 contract was awarded to Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc., North Salt Lake City, UT, by the Federal Highway Administration under an agreement with the National Park Service (NPS). The award marks the second large-scale effort to address major reconstruction and resurfacing needs since the park took over management of the roads from San Bernardino County in 2013. Safety improvements will be made to road alignments on Kelbaker Road and at the intersection at Kelso Cima and Cima Roads. According to the contractor, traffic delays can be expected on Kelbaker and Kelso Cima Roads during the road work. The section of Kelbaker Road between Kelso and Baker will be closed for several days. The contract also includes pothole repair and pavement resurfacing of Kelbaker, Cima, Essex and Black Canyon Roads. Worn pavement on Lanfair Road north of Goffs that is in poor condition will be pulverized and converted to a gravel road surface. The work is tentatively scheduled to begin on February 8, 2016, and to continue through April 19, 2016, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays only. Firm dates for each of four phases of the project will be published as soon as they are available. The contractor's tentative work schedule is as follows: Week 1: Expect traffic delays on Kelbaker Road and at the intersection of Kelso Cima Road and Cima Road. Work on this one-day phase is tentatively scheduled for February 8, 2016. Week 2: Expect traffic delays on Kelbaker Road and at the intersection of Kelso Cima Road and Cima Road. Work on this phase is tentatively scheduled for February 22, 2016, through February 26, 2016. Week 3: Kelbaker Road will be closed for pothole repair between Kelso and Baker, tentatively scheduled from April 4, 2016, through April 15, 2016. Week 4: Current plans call for Kelbaker Road to be closed for resurfacing between Kelso and Baker from April 18, 2016, through April 19, 2016 (two days). Firm dates will be announced. The contractor advises that plans and dates for additional road work called for in the contract will be announced when firm. Other NPS projects expected in 2016 include replacement of the large water storage tank for the Kelso Depot Visitor Center, renovation of the evaporative cooling system at the Hole-in-the-Wall Interagency Fire Center, painting the NPS housing and office buildings at Baker, and a possible contract to replace the Kelso Depot Visitor Center water well pump and pressure pumps. The park is currently constructing an eight-bed dormitory at Kelso for employees. The dorm is expected to be completed in July. |
Last updated: February 23, 2016