New Pavement Is Possible
For Newberry Springs

Originally posted:  February 21, 2012 Updated:  March 22, 2012

    Approximately 30 miles of sandy roads in Newberry Springs MIGHT be receiving pavement.

    The Public and Support Services Group of San Bernardino County's Department of Public Works is currently attempting to acquire asphalt grindings from an Interstate-40 road maintainance project that the State of California is planning east of Newberry Springs.

    Bill Little, Public Works Operations Supervisor for the county, is attempting to acquire the grindings from the state's contractor for use in Newberry Springs; the nearest population to the Interstate project.

    According to Little, the acquisition of the grindings may not happen; and there are numerous other approvals, such as for surveying, engineering and drainage, that are necessary before the roadbed material could be used in Newberry.

    Information on which roads would receive the pavement have not been announced; but nonpaved county roads having the highest maintenance and use would likely be targeted.

    Without the acquisition of the grindings and multiple approvals, no project date has been established for the Newberry Springs proposal; however, due to the state's Interstate-40 project schedule, a decision is expected to be known by mid-March.

Update

    According to county Public Works Operations Supervisor Bill Little, the road project is still a real possibility.  Little stated that the Mojave Water District has "signed-off" on environmental concerns as well as approvals from some county departments.

    The contractor who controls the removal and disposal of the chip grindings from the I-40 roadbed has yet to agree to the release of the materials for Newberry Springs.  The apparent reasoning is that the contractor would prefer to dump the massive waste material at a location that would not require such driving distance as to possibly northwest Newberry.

    The Community Alliance has contacted CalTrans stating that it does not want the surplus simply dumped in the desert causing environmental and visual blight.

    If the material is acquired by Bill Little for the project, it is expected that Public Works will be posting signs and notices soon within Newberry Springs for public input of which streets will be paved for safety and frequency of use.

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