Yuba OKs Interchange Study: But Supervisors Delay $2.8 Million Allocation
By Andrea Koskey, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
Jan. 16–Yuba County supervisors approved $300,000 to study an interchange for the Yuba River Parkway on Tuesday but delayed allocating funds for the design and environmental assessments.
The project study report would evaluate potential locations where the parkway would leave Highway 65 or 70. Options include the Highway 65/70 interchange, McGowan Parkway and Erle Road exits.
"This interchange is significant because we want to know where we’re going" on many projects, said Public Works Director Mike Lee. "This study is also important in light of the general plan update; the interchange will help with the development in East Linda."
The Yuba River Parkway is intended to be a bypass around Marysville.
Traffic would leave the highway at the 65/70 wye, cutting north between the Edgewater subdivision and near Erle Road and through East Linda.
The road would continue just north of Hammonton-Smartville Road, crossing the Yuba River and connecting again with Highway 20.
The study should be complete in nine months.
Although supervisors agreed the study was necessary to obtain future funding for the project, they could not agree on spending $2.8 million on designs or if that money should be used for the widening of Highway 70 north of Marysville, a project already in the works by Caltrans.
"It’s important to get work done on the interchange," said Supervisor Don Schrader. "But I would suggest we talk to Caltrans to see if we can negotiate to get the full refund and put it all toward the passing lanes."
The $2.8 million is a refund from money already paid to the state as a local match for the passing lane project on Highway 70.
According to Lee, that project came in $40 million cheaper than expected. Due to policy procedures, however, the state will only refund a portion of the money, 32 cents on the dollar, paid by Yuba County for the project.
County officials are looking to have a voice in where the returned money will be spent, but supervisors want to receive a full refund instead of a fraction promised to the county.
"Caltrans is responsible for Highway 70," Supervisor Dan Logue said. "They said they were going to do that project anyhow. I don’t see spending the $2.8 million on a project they’re planning on doing when we still don’t have a bypass."
Supervisor Mary Jane Griego expressed concern over the shelf life of a design and environmental study.
"I don’t want to spend money on this, then one year later have to put more money into the study to update it," she said.
The decision on where to spend the money was continued until the Jan. 22 meeting when supervisors hope to have a better understanding of whether or not they will receive the full local match back.
"I think we need to head to the state and lobby to get that money back," Supervisor John Nicoletti said. "That is extreme savings and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s happening all over the state."
Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey at 749-4709 or akoskey@appealdemocrat.com.
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