Route 66 Footprint Demolition In Needles Controversy Continues

The controversy relating to the destruction of what some consider an historic artifact will be revisited at the Tuesday, September 27 Needles City Council meeting.
That evening the council will take of the proposed demolition of a significant curve and median on the historic Mother Road – Route 66. Some Route 66 affectianados and historians say it is a unique feature. The council will consider a bid and most likely issue a notice of award to the Hal Hays Construction Company of Riverside, California in the “base bid” amount of $2,804,945.38 for the “I-40 Connector Project.”
The project involves widening to four lanes and installing traffic lights at three corners on an existing truck route connecting the Interstate 40 at a the J Street offramp in Needles with the bridge to Arizona 95 toward Bullhead City, Arizona.
Opponents informed the Sentinel that they will protest the award claiming that CalTrans and city officials conspired to avoid using the term “road expansion” and intentionally ignored the existence of historic structures including the curve and median and a multi-level brothel with underground passages to the train depot that would be impacted by the project and in so doing wrongfully represented that the federally funded project is a “categorical exclusion” exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act’s requirement for public review of environmental impact disclosure.
A notice to proceed would be pending the company’s proof of a disadvantaged business enterprise certification.

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