Morro Bay’s fiscal year budget is $60.6 million with $19 million of that going toward various projects in the city.
“That is so nice to have to know that we are going to spend that kind of money to help on city infrastructure,” said Ed Boies, Morro Bay resident.
Within the capital projects, $4 million is going toward pavement management. City engineer Cindy Cecil says a consultant will need to evaluate the road conditions to determine which roads are in greatest need of repair.
Some residents hope certain streets are on the list. “From my street, Hemlock, onto Avalon, there’s a big rut that needs fixing. I took some gravel out the other day and put it in the hole. I was so frustrated with it,” Boies said.
“On the corner of Kings and Quintana is the dispensary, so in that area for at least a block-and-a-half it's super rough, not major potholes but my coffee always spills,” said Debbie Highfill of Morro Bay.
Construction is anticipated to start in mid-September and last through mid-November. Cecil says this is in addition to around $180,000 of pavement management work that was completed under the last fiscal year budget.
“I think it’s good they’ll be spending more money on street maintenance,” Boies said.
Storm drains replacement work following damage from the 2023 winter storms is estimated to cost a total of $900,000 with $300,000 of that covered by grant funding. The storms affected many parts of the community.
“I lost two trees that fell over one close to the house,” Highfill said.
“My wife and I spent a couple days shoveling mud out of a couple businesses down by Morro Creek,” Boies said.
Twenty-eight thousand dollars of the budget will be used to help fix erosion impacting the Main Street and Morro Creek bridge supports and for assessments of other bridges in the city.
“When the creek fills up with water it’s going to have a lot of force with it and take out areas under the bridge that normally would be fine, so I think it would be fine to work on that,” Boies said.
City officials say there are no safety issues at this time, but the bridge work is needed to avoid future issues.
