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closeMy hometown, Paso Robles, was named for its oaks. It is also renowned for its grapevines. And it is worried about losing its big display of oleander bushes.
The city’s full name is El Paso de Robles. That’s Spanish for The Pass of Oaks. Wines from Paso Robles-area grapevines are known internationally. And our oleander bushes are the center of attraction in the center-divider of the 101 freeway from First Street to 38th Street.
Many Roblans might now be thinking, “What oleanders?” Many of us seldom drive through Paso Robles on Highway 101. And when we do, we’re oblivious to the landscaping because we’re used to it.
I only took a good look at it Sunday, because I heard Caltrans was thinking of yanking some of it out and installing concrete barriers in the median. (“Median” is the official word for center-divider.) The area targeted for this project runs between First Street and the Highway 46 East interchange.
I was surprised to see so many really big oleanders, especially the white ones. I also noticed a few young oleanders and a few empty gaps.
Caltrans says that in the past three years, out-of-control vehicles have rammed into the oleanders several times.
Oleander bushes, even the big guys, can’t stop a hurtling truck or SUV. Concrete dividers are more proficient at preventing runaway vehicles from careening across the median into oncoming traffic.
Caltrans is also worried about its employees who work on the median tending landscaping and removing litter. Caltrans says about 50 of its workers statewide are injured each year while working on medians. The Caltrans spokesman told me he didn’t have any specific injury numbers for Highway 101 running through Paso Robles.
Old-timers remember when at least part of the Paso Robles freeway median was planted with pomegranate trees. People would run across the freeway to pick the fruit. It was maybe in the early 1970s that a little girl was killed doing that. Now there are only oleanders.
On June 2, the City Council went on record requesting Caltrans to preserve the oleanders and other landscaping as well as to install metal guard-railing instead of concrete barriers. I’d rather see a wide, raised planter, high enough so people could work safely from traffic.
The Caltrans spokesman said the estimated cost of the proposed Paso Robles median project is $6 million. Two Paso Robles guys I spoke to said considering these days, that money could be better spent on other things.
Contact Phil Dirkx at phild2008@sbcglobal.net or 238-2372.
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