This article was written by BenitoLink intern Juliana Luna
County agency leaders updated the San Benito County Board of Supervisors on recent actions regarding roads, grants, homelessness and projects at the board’s Sept. 27 meeting.
Resource Management Agency interim Director Steve Loupe said the county is conducting a
traffic calming study on 11 streets and presented an update on speed bump installations around the county.
“Two months ago the board approved $400,000 for traffic calming and study,” he said. The study considers the speeds in roadway segments for installation of speed cushions.”
There are 11 streets that are being studied in collaboration with the city of Hollister, said Loupe. The study includes Loma Vista Avenue, Arlington Drive, Santana Ranch, Buena Vista Road, Park Trail Drive, Sage Drive, Sunnyslope Road, Payne Road, El Toro Drive, Enterprise Road, Hospital Road and Steinbeck Drive.
He added traffic calming will be placed at Carr Avenue in Aromas following completion of the road improvements.
Loupe said that given funding limits, there’s no guarantee that speed bumps will be installed on the listed roadway segments.
“For two speed bumps per segment, that’s about $30,000,” he said.
He said residents were welcome to email him to identify road segments the county should analyze for speeding issues.
Gracie Rodriguez with the San Benito County Administrative Office said the county will be returning $35,000 of the $60,000 it received from the California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. She said the county provided 10 $2,500 grants to local businesses and that while 14 other applications were received, those businesses were not eligible for funding.
Enrique Arreola with San Benito County Health & Human Services said the Sheriff’s Office has been meeting with Graniterock about the increase of homeless encampments, abandoned vehicles, and garbage in Graniterocks’s construction sites and in the San Benito River between Hospital and Union roads.
Arreola said that during the many outreaches his agency has conducted, they have found 18 large dump sites, nine vehicles/trailers and three fully operational with three people living inside.
He said their goal was to move those people into a shelter of 13 beds.
Abraham Prado, assistant director of planning and building, told the supervisor the Planning Commission will review the Betabel commercial use permit and consider the certification of the The draft environmental impact report for the John Smith Road Landfill Expansion on Oct. 12 at 6 p.m.
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