Golden State Boulevard has been receiving a makeover the past few months, including resurfacing and new medians, and landscaping. The Golden State Boulevard Beautification Project is nearly complete with Phase I, between Monte Vista Avenue and Roberts Road, which should be completed by February 2013.

For the remainder of the project, the City of Turlock will finish the striping of the roadway, median backfill, and landscaping.

“Progress has been right on schedule and we have been pretty fortunate that the weather has cooperated,” stated Nathan Bray, Associate Civil Engineer.

With Phase I almost finished, Phase II will commence shortly after. This phase will install the same median and landscaping on Golden State Boulevard from Monte Vista Avenue to the south, tying into the curbs just north of Tuolumne Road.

“I do not have a firm date yet, although I anticipate the work to start within the next month,” stated Bray.

The project, which was budgeted into three separate phases, are funded through federal grants, which make up 88% of the total cost, and City funds, making up the remaining 12% of total costs. The federal program is the Regional Surface Transportation Program, RTSP, and is required to be spent on transportation enhancement type activities. The local portion of the funding is comprised of Section 2103 Gas Tax Funds and Capital Facility Fees. The City is not spending any General fund monies on the project.

The total for the three phases is as follows:
1. Christofferson to Roberts – $496,000
2. Roberts to Monte Vista – $449,200
3. Monte Vista to the South (Tuolumne) – $853,376

The total expected amount of funding spent on the overall Golden State Beautification Project amounts to $1,798,576.

Development Services Director Mike Pitcock also stated at the most recent City Council meeting that the City had finished completing the landscape irrigation system, and would begin pre-construction conferences with construction companies shortly.