No better time for cooperative efforts to run infrastructure to sports/entertainment zone
Who knows how the economy will wind up after we’ve pulled ourselves out of the COVID-19 quicksands. It’s a good bet that there could be a recession of some magnitude as there will be less income to spend and more debt to pay.
There seems to be a feeling, however, that things could bounce back fairly quickly. And some parts of the economy are still doing well – housing, for instance.
This is a historic time, that’s for sure, but we shouldn’t be thwarted from investing in local public works and infrastructure to accommodate future growth – it will come, sooner or later.
In that light, a local cooperative effort is being heralded to prepare south
Yuba County for growth. That area is poised for development – bringing with it jobs and tax support – but lacks the infrastructure to make it happen right away.
Yuba County supervisors resolved recently to participate in a regional effort to have water, wastewater, and transportation infrastructure extended to the area along Highway 65. Former Yuba County executive Robert Bendorf is advising the group, and he noted in a recent story that a cooperative effort has been talked about for a decade; now it might actually happen. Working together: Wheatland, Yuba County, Yuba Water Agency, Linda County Water District, and the Olivehurst Public
Utility District.
Much of the area is known as the
Sports and Entertainment Zone and currently hosts the Toyota Amphitheater and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The casino, which opened just last year, may be the main catalyst for the cooperation by presenting an example of what can happen.
OPUD started the process of annexing the area into their jurisdiction. YWA is a funding source.
The effort could possibly entail a Wheatland bypass at some stage of the game, a new South Beale interchange, a connector road from Highway 65 to Highway 70, and completion of a Plumas Lake interchange ...
That’s quite a menu. And it’s years off. No better time to get started.