Residents and other motorists along a stretch of Salt Mine Road have found a few obstacles in their path, but the Town of Camp Verde’s Public Works Department is hoping to remove them.
The town is currently seeking bids from contractors to stabilize slopes and make improvements at the S-curve near Windy Point at the southern boundary of the town limits along the road.
The area is problematic whenever it rains.
The road cuts through the hills at that particular section so the rain causes huge chunks of sedimentary rock to break off and end up in the roadway.
Town Administrative Assistant Deborah Ranney said that the debris in the road has really been a big problem.
The plan is to regrade the slope of the hill and put in a drainage channel; some of the work will have to be done by hand because proximity to U.S. Forest Service land makes getting heavy equipment to the top of the hill impossible.
There are other possible plans to install further erosion control measures on the site, according to the bid documents. Those include Straw Waddles, a brand name for tubes of rice straw wrapped in plastic or burlap that can filter out sediment. The materials are biodegradable.
The town would also like to have around 300 feet of guardrail installed along the section in question.
The lowest qualified responsible bidder will get the job. Bids are expected to be received by Tuesday, Oct. 4. Depending on how the work progresses, it could be complete anywhere from 30 to 45 days after that.
Town Public Works Director Ron Long will act as project manager.
For more information, call the town’s public works department at 567-0534.
