THE Road Widening - A Continuing Saga

Cathie G

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My driveway portion of the project is almost finished. They'll be coming back Monday to put up the 3' tortoise fence along each side of the driveway. Here are two pictures from inside looking out, then two pictures from outside looking in:

View attachment 336618View attachment 336619View attachment 336620View attachment 336621

The job foreman asked me what I was going to do with the big aloe 'tree' that I had them set to the side for me. I told him I was going to replant it at the beginning of the driveway and that I had another one, not quite as big to plant on the other side. He said he'd have his guys plant it for me and where to I want it? So if you look on the left side of the picture at that last cinderblock, right above is a stem, or trunk. Then on the right side of the culvert you'll see the head of the aloe that fell off when they picked up the stem/trunk. They went ahead and planted the trunk anyway. Hopefully it will continue to grow and set a new head. I'll trim the remaining trunk of the part that broke off and plant it somewhere too.
I'm so glad they're still trying to go a little farther for you. They must be really enjoying you and what you do with the animals.?
 

TaylorTortoise

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Oh man. . . I LOVE MY NEW GATE!!!!!! The next thing they're going to do is brick the sides of the driveway where they had to cut away the earth, after that's done they'll blacktop the whole thing. Then they have some fencing to do and they'll be finished. They're giving me a 3' fence on either side of the driveway for the tortoises. The power company still hasn't moved any of the poles along the street, so the actual road widening hasn't started yet.

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So my concerns are…

are you losing really any property with that gate up? What are they exactly removing?
 

Yvonne G

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So my concerns are…

are you losing really any property with that gate up? What are they exactly removing?
My property is on a corner and the road is being widened across the front of the property. My old driveway is on the SIDE of the property, and will be out in the middle of the new street, so I ;needed a new driveway, which they've made further back on the side street, away from the road widening. The amount of property I've lost with the the new driveway is just what you see in the pictures. The new driveway is in Dudley's yard, so now his yard is a lot smaller.

As for the actual road widening, I'm losing 10' across the whole front of the property, which is where my pond and leopard yard is. so I'm losing a 10' deep section that is about 160' long.
 

Yvonne G

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The power company's pole setting crew has set all the new poles from the beginning of the project up to my across-the-street neighbor's property. They're working on his right now.

road widening 12-11-21 a.jpg

I got to watch them unload MY pole from the trailer. I really like watching construction and heavy equipment working. Here's MY pole. They've got all the hardware sitting on the ground, which they'll attach to the top of the pole, then they'll dig the hole and plant the pole.

road widening 12-11-21 b.jpg

I talked to the City engineer the other day and he said he's just now working on the contract to send out for bids to put up my retaining wall and new fence across the front, and fix my pond. He's putting down the start date for March 1st to be completed by the end of April. So I guess watching them set this pole will be my most interesting viewing until next spring. Cripes! By the time that happens this thread will be so far buried I may never find it again!!

So, see you all next Spring!
 

MenagerieGrl

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And I hope your being compensated for the loss of property, despite the new driveway, fence etc.
 

Yvonne G

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And I hope your being compensated for the loss of property, despite the new driveway, fence etc.
Yes, they bought the property at fair market value and paid me a very good price for all the trees and bushes they're going to have to cut down. I'm even getting a liner in my pond (It used to be just a big mud hole)
 

zovick

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Yes, they bought the property at fair market value and paid me a very good price for all the trees and bushes they're going to have to cut down. I'm even getting a liner in my pond (It used to be just a big mud hole)
I'm glad to hear you were treated fairly and seem happy with the resolution to the loss/sale of the property. In some areas of the country, it doesn't always work out as well for the property owners as your case.
 

Yvonne G

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This a.m. I was out in the front yard taking down the fence so I can save the boards for re-use, and the City Engineer just happened by. He stopped to chat and mentioned, with his fingers crossed, that construction is scheduled to start on my road widening project in two weeks. Right now it's a two lane street. They'll be working on the north side (my side) first, leaving the south side for traffic. First thing they have to do is the wrecking, which includes cutting down the hill in front of my house and hauling away many yards of dirt. Then they'll build the retaining wall. The engineer said they'll be using those textured bricks like what you see in landscaping. Right now I have a big muddy mess. I'll be so glad to see that gone! In a minute I'll go take a 'before' picture.

road widening 2-25-22.jpg

As you can see, the new power pole is set in my old driveway. All the strand and wire, and cable TV has been mounted on the new pole. So they'll have to come along and wreck out the old strand, cable and wire then the old poles, before they can start excavating away all the dirt on the hill to make it down to street level. I'm SO tired of having this muddy mess in front of my house. TWO WEEKS!! WHOO HOO!!

The retaining wall (my new property line) will be behind the new pole, and make a bit of a bend around the corner, tapering down. My new fence will be at the top of the retaining wall only coming so far as the new fence in the picture. I'm thinking they'll probably have to chop away some of the cactus to work on placing the wall. That's a Cholla, or teddy bear cactus and it's terrible about getting stuck in skin. In fact, I THINK it actually jumps off the bush and grabs the human walking by.
 

Yvonne G

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The old pole has been removed, and last Monday was "two weeks." They've not started construction yet.

But, I'm taking advantage of the fact my Texas tortoises are brumating and I'm re-doing their shelter and rotten fence. Over the winter I didn't take care of the grass, allowing it to revert to its wild state. But I've chopped down the Texas tortoise area and started taking down their rotten fence.

Last year one of our Fresno members sold his Manouria to my partner. Having no further use for 'tortoise fence' he asked me if I wanted his fencing. It's that artificial plastic/wood stuff. I'm not one to ever turn away free wood, so I took it. It was a whole pick-up bed full of different lengths pickets. I will plant 4x4s and attach 2x4s and then I've got all those pickets to attach to it! The only trouble is my energy level. I've been working at this portion for about two weeks and haven't gotten much done.

The area I'm working on:

road widening 3-21-22 a.jpg

You can see the pickets leaning up against the driveway fence.

And here's their old shelter. I've already upgraded the desert tortoises' shelter next door, putting on a hinged roof and insulating with rigid foam:

road widening 3-21-22 b.jpg
 

jeff kushner

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Y, you have a loose horse in your yard, just letting you know! I like the stone inside the fencing along the driveway....if at my home, it would help the fence live longer around my driving!

I was concerned when this thread came up b/c we've all seen folks be "pushed around by public utilities"....but instead this has been a feel-good thread, good for you! No doubt a very large part of that comes from you and how you put yourself to the crews who were doing the work and explains why they were so willing to go a bit out of their way for your comfort.....kudo's!

Yard work....ugh......but it does a body good, right? as we take 2 Tylenol.
 

Yvonne G

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Y, you have a loose horse in your yard, just letting you know! I like the stone inside the fencing along the driveway....if at my home, it would help the fence live longer around my driving!

I was concerned when this thread came up b/c we've all seen folks be "pushed around by public utilities"....but instead this has been a feel-good thread, good for you! No doubt a very large part of that comes from you and how you put yourself to the crews who were doing the work and explains why they were so willing to go a bit out of their way for your comfort.....kudo's!

Yard work....ugh......but it does a body good, right? as we take 2 Tylenol.
That's a very well-behaved horse, and that's why she's allowed to run loose even though the fence is down all along the front. the only thing I haven't been able to break her of is going into the tort sheds and eating the fresh poop. She so smart that she stands there by the shed door and watches me. As soon as I'm otherwise occupied, and no longer looking at her she sneaks into the shed.
 

Cathie G

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That's a very well-behaved horse, and that's why she's allowed to run loose even though the fence is down all along the front. the only thing I haven't been able to break her of is going into the tort sheds and eating the fresh poop. She so smart that she stands there by the shed door and watches me. As soon as I'm otherwise occupied, and no longer looking at her she sneaks into the shed.
Ok I give up I can't seem to find ur horse 🐎
 

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