Fulkerth Road's infamously bumpy pavement will soon be a thing of the past.
The Turlock street is currently undergoing a $1 million reconstruction as the city installs a new, city-first rubberized asphalt roadway. Work is expected to wrap up by June 28, so as not to impact Stanislaus County Fair traffic.
The rubberized asphalt surface treatment is expected to be longer-lasting than traditional pavement, provide a quieter ride, and cause less wear-and-tear on vehicles' tires.
“The rubberized asphalt has many advantages as compared to the conventional asphalt, including flexibility and strength,” said Nathan Bray, Associate Civil Engineer for the City of Turlock. “(It's) quieter, longer-lasting and has many environmental benefits as the rubber used in the process converts scrap tires solely from California.”
By using rubberized asphalt, the City of Turlock was also able to receive a $122,000 Cal-Recycle state grant to reduce project costs. The remainder of project costs were funded by $647,448 in federal transportation grants and $305,137 in gas tax revenues.
In addition to fixing the surface of the road from Highway 99 to Golden State Boulevard, the project will add new wheelchair access ramps where needed. A new, 700-foot long concrete median will also be constructed on Fulkerth Road from Tully Road to Logan Lane, approximately.
Construction broke ground on May 13 and will conclude by June 28, as to not interfere with the approaching 2013 Stanislaus County Fair.
“This is a very tight schedule but both the contractor and the City are committed to achieving this schedule,” said Bray.
