Rough Turlock Roads Have Residents, City Looking For Answers
TURLOCK (CBS13) — Rough roads in Turlock have people demanding a fix, and the city wondering how to pay for it.
"Potholes, we see roads that need severe maintenance, and it's not getting any better," said Jim Theis.
He's one of many homeowners who came to a special City Council meeting on Tuesday to express his frustrations.
A private engineering company surveyed current road conditions in the city, and the results are close to failing. The pavement condition index rating come back as a 67, which is a D.
"Any elementary school you go to in Turlock would say that's not a good grade for our roads," said Mayor Gary Soiseth.
But how will the city pay for all the necessary repairs?
The mayor says that's still up in the air. There's no general fund money, and he says it would cost $11.4 million a year to tackle the problem. Right now, there's only $1.5 million a year to spend.
One idea is implementing a city or county sales tax.
"Increase the spending for pothole repair so we have a Band-Aid approach until perhaps a sales tax has passed," the mayor said. "Is it trying to find funding in other programs that we can devote to roads?"
It may not be clear how the city will fix this pavement problem. But one thing is certain to the people, having to drive on the "barely passing" roads, it won't be long until the road fails them.
The mayor says the next step is to come up with viable solutions to the road repair problem.
