UKIAH, CA., 7/17/25 – Workdays were lost — and businesses and residents inconvenienced — when gas lines were hit during the “grinding” process on Main Street, part of the Gobbi/Perkins/Main project to replace decades-old water and sewer pipes. The grinding process uses special machines to remove a layer of pavement to prepare the surface for new paving.
The city said that the PG&E lines that were hit had not been marked by the utility.
“The gas lines that were hit were unmarked, and PG&E claims no knowledge of them,” the city said in a statement. “They are quite old, likely installed before any of the more modern mapping systems existed.”
The utility is cooperating with the city to prevent any more shutdowns or evacuations as the project continues.
And continue it will. On Friday, July 18, the contractor Ghilotti will grind the west side of North Main Street, moving from the north towards Gobbi. This work should wrap up by the middle of next week. Then base rock will be installed. Paving of Main is scheduled between July 31 and August 5. Striping should start quickly after.
On much beleaguered Gobbi Street, something called “raising the irons” will now occur on Saturday, July 19. This has nothing to do with golf but is a lot louder: it means jackhammering through the new pavement to uncover utility manholes and bring them up to the level of the new street. The city says to expect noise between 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Striping should happen next week, with East Gobbi completely done by July 24.
There will be a small section of patch paving at the intersection of West Gobbi and Dora Street. The city promises this will be finished well in advance of the start of school.
And then it’s on to Perkins. Utility crews are working at Orchard and Perkins through mid-August, preparing for improved signals. Demolition of the easement along the edge of the Pear Tree Shopping Center starts August 11.
“These were pre-existing easements that have been in place for many years in anticipation of being able to widen Perkins someday,” said the city. “That day has come!”
And yes, at some point, the day will also come to grind and repave Perkins. The city promises to do most of that work at night. No dates have been announced.
For more information: Urban Core Rehabilitation and Transportation Project (UCRT) – City of Ukiah, CA.
I had to evacuate with my elderly mother and 4 dogs. We rented a hotel because it was 104 degrees that day. How can I go about getting the city to pay the hotel bill since they are responsible for the situation? I don’t feel the cost should fall on us.
Melanie Morgan morganmelaniemm@yahoo.com
Is much more likely that you need to file a claim with PGE as they are the liable party, not the City.
The City hired a Contractor.
The Contractor called 811.
PGE failed to thoroughly inform USAN811.
When called upon by Contractors, Utilities are required by Federal & State Mandates to properly inform the search agency so they may clearly mark locations and depths of ALL underground assets before any excavation/underground work can begin. (USA markings are “Underground Search Area”)
PGE failed to do so twice within the span of 1 week on the same project on Main St.
Call 811 before you dig.
The fines for failing to do so are exorbitant, even for home owners.
when bad concrete needs to be fixed jackhammering it and fixing it is better then not