The massive rock slide on Nelson Road in Scotts Valley is going nowhere fast. No funding has materialized to repair an estimated $2.6 million in damage to the two-lane road, despite applications by the county to state and federal emergency agencies.
The way remains blocked after major storms in late March caused tons of rocks to tumble down a hillside onto the rural Nelson Road, burying both lanes and cutting off access to 28 homes.
A temporary bypass was built through a nearby neighborhood, making all but two homes accessible by vehicle.
In the aftermath of the March storms, Santa Cruz County declared a local disaster and Gov. Jerry Brown echoed the declaration. However, no disaster funding was attached to the state declaration.
The county was then denied the $15 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency Funds it had sought to repair damage throughout the county.
FEMA representatives responded that the damage was not caused by a continuous storm event, said Russell Chen, of Santa Cruz County Public Works.
The county disagreed.
“We’re appealing to the state, and the state is appealing for us to the federal government,” Chen said.
Chen said the county has asked for another $5 million from the Federal Highway Administration to repair roads.
“Nelson Road is probably going to be the most expensive repair,” he said. “There was a tremendous amount of damage throughout the county.”
The Nelson Road slide repair does not yet have a timeline, Chen said. A study by a county-contracted geologist is due in September to determine a course of action.
“The big thing is we’re hoping to get funding from the state or federal government for the repairs,” Chen said.
