The infrastructure for utilities undergrounding along Espola Road is halfway installed. The work is part of the Espola Road Safety Improvements Project to improve safety for those who walk, jog, cycle or ride horses along the west side of Espola Road between Poway High School and Twin Peaks Road. Infrastructure includes installation of conduit, vaults and above grade structures.
The contractor for SDG&E is finishing work in the southern portion of the project area and will soon begin on the northern portion. Much of the infrastructure for utilities undergrounding was designed to be installed within the proposed pathway along the west side of Espola Road. Due to conflicts with an existing high-pressure gas main, infrastructure in the northern portion will be installed either in the street or on the east side of Espola Road. There will be an increased number of trench plates along Espola Road during construction in this section as the project moves forward on an accelerated work schedule. SDG&E anticipates that this phase will be completed in mid-summer.
After the infrastructure is in place, the next phase will include installing cables in new underground conduits and working on utility connections for individual properties along the undergrounding route. Both AT&T and Cox Communications have cabling work to complete once SDG&E is finished. During these phases there will be significantly less roadside activity and traffic impacts, but work is progressing nonetheless.
The three utility companies need to complete all conversion work prior to utility poles being removed. Pole removal is the last step in the undergrounding process and is expected to be complete by summer of 2020.
The city is finalizing design plans to re-bid the remaining portions of its work on the Espola Road Safety Improvements project. To avoid construction coordination conflicts the city will restart pathway improvement construction activities after the utility poles are removed. This portion of the project is anticipated to resume in the summer of 2020 and take approximately six months to complete.