Measure R-Funded Road Work Begins South of Tulare
The first stretch of road repair work funded by Measure R, the one-half cent sales tax passed last year in Tulare County, began on July 23 just south of Tulare. Funded by Measure R, the project will cost an estimated $150,000.
Allen Ishida, Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) chairman and Ted Smalley, TCAG deputy executive director, welcomed attendees to the groundbreaking ceremonies. “Tulare County is the only county in the California to pass a self tax to help its roads,” says Ishida. “We have to realize that we need to help ourselves. We have to look to ourselves to accomplish things we had generally relied on the State to handle.”
Following a short program on Measure R, county road crews began overlay work on Road 96 (Pratt Road) from Avenue 208 to Avenue 216 (Paige Avenue). The one-mile stretch of roadway is not only heavily traveled as a farm-to-market road, but is littered with potholes and cracking.
“This is just one of the many improvements will be made possible, or completed sooner than planned, to Tulare County roads because of Measure R,” said Gil Jaramillo Measure R Citizens Oversight Committee Chair.
Last month, the Tulare County Transportation Authority received its first wave of Measure R money — a check made out for nearly $1.1 million. This month the money will be distributed to each city in the county, along with the county, so Measure R money can address major transportation needs in Tulare County. Passed in November, Measure R is expected to generate more than $652 million in the next 30 years.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Wright or Ramon Lara of the Tulare County Association of Governments at (559) 733-6291.
Pictured:
Ramon Lara, Regional Planner of the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) presents County Supervisor Allen Ishida, TCAG chairman, with the first check from Measure R funds in the amount of $1,053,125.96.