Update on Work that is Happening in our City
Despite the COVID -19 pandemic, all of us in the Engineering and Public Works Departments are very busy with managing existing projects and/or planning for future projects. The following projects that are currently or soon will be under construction:
• The Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge: Motorist who are driving on Cathedral Canyon Drive and enjoying the temporary bypass road can see the bridge piers and the south abutment work under construction. When this phase of the project is completed there will be 4 piers and 2 abutments, which in the end, will support the entire bridge. The piers are 43 feet deep and the abutments are 36 feet deep, thus the public can only see 25% of the actual completed work above ground. This 600 foot long and 87 feet wide bridge project will continue for another year and a half, so let’s all be patient. Contract cost +/-$24 million.
• Ramon Road REAS: Rubberized Emulsion Aggregate Slurry (REAS) will be applied to Ramon Road from Landau to Date Palm Drive, including the Date Palm Drive intersection, starting on November 12th. Motorist may have already seen the contractor’s crews out on Ramon Road crack sealing in preparation of this job. What is crack sealing? Just as it sounds. This is where the existing cracks in the road are filled with a hot asphalt mix that seals the roadway from water penetration. After the crack sealing, the REAS is then applied, and then after the REAS is cured. Shortly thereafter, the lane striping will be applied. Striping work is typically done in the midnight hours when traffic is low. This project will be completed before Thanksgiving. Contract cost +/-$ 314,000.
• Cathedral Canyon Drive and misc. REAS will also be applied to Cathedral Canyon Drive from Terrace Road to Perez Road, including the East Palm Canyon intersection, and Van Fleet Avenue from H Street to East Palm Canyon Drive. This work will all be starting right after the REAS work on Ramon Road is completed. Motorist may also have already seen the contractor’s crews out on Cathedral Canyon Drive crack sealing in preparation of this job. Again, after the crack sealing, the REAS is then applied, and then after the REAS is cured, striping will be applied where needed. Again, this Project will be completed before Thanksgiving. Contract cost +/-$ 327,000.
Safety for the construction crews and the motorists is our top priority. Please drive safely and with courtesy. If you have any questions regarding this Community Update and the Projects discussed, please call me, John A. Corella, P.E. at 760-770-0327 or email me at
JCorella@cathedralcity.gov.