MOORPARK : Officials Kick Off Downtown Street Reconstruction

A commitment by the Moorpark City Council to refurbish the city’s downtown area took another step forward this week, as officials kicked off the reconstruction of a major downtown street.

Mayor Paul Lawrason, Councilman John Wozniak, Public Works Director Ken Gilbert and others gathered Monday on Charles Street to break ground on a project to repave and improve the western section of the road, from Moorpark Avenue to Bard Street.

“We’re anxious to get the refurbishment and the redevelopment of the downtown area under way, and this is a significant event in that process,” Lawrason said after the groundbreaking.

“This is one that’s been long awaited. The residents there have really endured a road surface that really is marginal,” Lawrason said. “It’s really just in disrepair, it’s time we got in there and did something about it.”

The city will spend about $385,000, mostly Community Development Block Grant funds, to rebuild the section of road, with plans to continue the effort eastward as more money becomes available.

The reconstruction is expected to take three months and includes the installation of new storm drains. Badly cracked curbs and sidewalks will be replaced and all but a few of the mature pepper trees that line the street will be preserved.

“I think it’s a project that has taken a long time coming,” Wozniak said.

“It’s something that we’ve been talking about for a while and trying to get funding for, and now that we have funding we can go ahead and start the first phase.”