PHOTO BY SKIP STONE

Caltrans Project Engineer Eric Lund (center) was the guest speaker at last week’s meeting of the Garberville Rotary Club. Lund spoke about the Richardson Grove road widening project. He told the club that in the past, there was a vision that Highway 101 would eventually become four lanes from San Francisco all the way to Oregon. However in 2000, it became apparent that a bypass around (or the alternative of a tunnel below) Richardson Grove was not feasible. He also said a common misconception about the project is that the road will be straightened. In reality, the road will be “curvier” but wider. The project will minimize damage to trees and root systems in the surrounding ground by using “hand methods” instead of heavy equipment. Shown here with Lund are Caltrans Design Engineer Eric Shada (right) and Rotary club president Peter Connolly.