Mariposa Supervisors Urge Government to Fix 140 Before It’s Too Late

The Mariposa Board of Supervisors are urging the federal government to take action and repair Highway 140 into Yosemite before it collapses citing loss of the highway would devastate the economy in Mariposa worse than this summers rock-slide.

mercedsunstar.com: “Worried that a major Yosemite National Park road will collapse — and devastate Mariposa County’s economy more than this summer’s rockslide — the Board of Supervisors urged the federal government to make repairs as quickly as possible.

The letter was sent to the National Park Service superintendent with the unanimous support of the supervisors after their Tuesday meeting. As of Wednesday afternoon, officials at the park hadn’t read the letter.

El Portal Road, a combined part of Highway 140 and Big Oak Flat Road, was severely damaged a decade ago by floods and has undergone five emergency repairs to keep it driveable.

The road provides access to Yosemite Valley from Highway 140 and Highway 120, and one mile of it is being undermined by the Merced River, which runs parallel.

‘We’ve just had the experience of the (Highway) 140 rockslide and the damage that did to our local economy,’ board Chairman Lee Stetson said. ‘If that particular section should be closed for a significant period, it would severely curtail our economic possibilities.’

In November, park service officials started the lengthy environmental review process for a permanent fix, which they hope to start in about two to three years.

Part of the delay is November’s federal court injunction halting any work along the river until the park completes a river management plan.

But the supervisors hope their letter and support can accelerate construction.”