By Kathe Malouf

Special to the Sun

Two projects are currently underway at the French Gulch Recreation Area; one that will provide a new boat launch ramp, and the other that will widen Highway 155 to improve traffic flow at the entrance of the popular recreation area in order to accommodate increased traffic that is expected to frequent the new boat ramp.

The Highway 155 modification project got started last week with the arrival of heavy equipment and personnel. And with the start of the highway work, traffic delays are in place for motorists traveling between Lake Isabella and Wofford Heights.

The two projects, which are both associated with the Isabella Lake Dam Safety Modification Project, are being constructed concurrently, according to Julie Martinez, Corps of Engineers’ resident engineer on the project. While that wasn’t the original plan, the Corps had to modify the two contracts, thanks in part to Mother Nature.

The rain and the higher lake levels pushed the construction back by about 11 months, Martinez said. “The water caught us and we had to renegotiate the start of the highway modification,” she said.

But the delay allowed the Corps to modify the boat ramp contract and add the Hwy. 155 modification work, making it one project for an estimated combined cost of $9.7 million. By combining the two projects, Martinez said it will save both time and money.

Both projects are expected to be completed by May 16, Martinez said. But the boat launch ramp will be ready for use before then.

“We are trying to get the boat ramp functional in time for the fishing derby,” Martinez said. “It won’t be done, but it will be functional.” The annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is scheduled for March 24, 25 and 26 of this year.

French Gulch Boat Ramp

The Isabella Dam Safety Modification Project will see the raising of both the Main and Auxiliary Dams by 16 feet, along with the addition of a new emergency spillway and downstream drainage buttress. Work on the DSMP is expected to get underway sometime this spring.

The DSMP will require the interim closure of Boat Launch 19 at Main Dam during the construction period which is expected to continue through 2022. The interim boat launch ramp and support recreational facilities at French Gulch Recreation area is being constructed to mitigate the loss of Launch 19.

As outlined in a Supplemental Environmental Assessment report, the new launch ramp will include a 48-ft. wide grooved concrete ramp. It is being constructed for an operational range in the lake level elevation of 2,589 (361,250 acre feet) to 2,539-foot (95,775 acre feet). A total of 68 pre-cast panels will be placed for the boat ramp surface and anchored by large concrete blocks.

The boat ramp contract was awarded to Spectrum-Straub Joint Venture, and the company is using Kern County sub-contractors, including Granite Construction.

Work on the boat ramp has required the use of heavy equipment, including dozers, scrapers, excavators and numerous haul trucks that have been hauling in fill, boulders and rip-rap from Granite’s Construction yard in Bakersfield.

According to Tyler Johnson, Project Engineer, at one point, approximately 30 loads of rock were being trucked in on a daily basis, along with 12 loads of rip-rap for a total of 42 truck loads per day. Haul trucks continue to bring in daily loads of fill that is dumped, then compacted to stabilize and build up the boat ramp.

Approximately one-half of paved parking will be constructed on the lower level of the site. Both the existing lower and upper level asphalt parking will be marked and striped for boat trailer and vehicle parking. Additional improvements will also include parking area lighting and a modular vault restroom.

Martinez said that although the Corps considers the new boat ramp to be temporary, the boat launch ramp and improvements will remain in place once the dam safety modification project has been completed.

Because of the amount of construction equipment and personnel that is currently being staged at the French Gulch Recreation Area, lake access has been eliminated during the construction.

Construction activity has had an impact on the Nuui Cunni Cultural Center. The Center remains open; however, Patsy Henry, Chairman of the Council, said they have noticed a slight decrease in their visitors since the start of the construction.

“The crews have been very good and very accommodating to our center,” Henry said, noting that a large group of workers came in for lunch on a recent Saturday. Henry said the center has offered to open up their kitchen on Tuesdays to provide lunch for construction crews, adding that they are hoping the workers take them up on that offer.

The Nuui Cunni Center is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and lunch is served every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Highway 155 Modification

Because the diversion of vehicle boat traffic is expected to increase at French Gulch Recreation Area, the Corps concluded that the widening of Highway 155 was warranted to accommodate the interim shift and increase of recreation traffic.

The Corps determined that sight distance for vehicles exiting French Gulch is limited by the curvature of Hwy 155 and the steep topography of the area.

The modification project will include widening of Highway 155 to accommodate a left-turn lane on the westbound lane, and improvement of the deceleration and acceleration lanes into the French Gulch Recreation Area. A left-turn lane on Hwy. 155 for entry into the Kern County Maintenance Yard will also be created by widening the highway approximately 200 linear feet west and 300 linear feet east of the existing maintenance yard access. The left-turn lanes will allow larger vehicles with trailers sufficient distance to decelerate and wait for a safe gap in to oncoming traffic without blocking vehicles in the through travel lane of Hwy. 155.

Current work includes the excavation of the existing embankments. The topography will be graded or filled to provide a level surface to create the increased roadway width, projected to be increased to a maximum of 53 feet. No blasting of rock is expected to be conducted in order to remove material.

The exit and entrance routes at French Gulch Recreation Area will be rerouted to create improved sight distance for oncoming vehicles. According to the Corps, the current highway alignment on Hwy. 155 will not change.

Travel between Wofford Heights and Lake Isabella is being impacted by the modification project and motorists can expect short traffic delays on weekdays during the duration of the highway improvement project. Martinez noted that the traffic delays through the project site will not start until after 7:30 a.m. in order to accommodate the school bus schedules.