Alhambra High Hillside Project Comes In Under Estimate

Stabilizing the hill that hosts the Alhambra High School track and tennis courts was estimated at $2 million, for which Measure K bond money was set aside. The road leading to both facilities, as well as the track and courts themselves, were beginning to crack from hillside “creep.”

But the cost of fixing the “creep” will be several hundred thousand dollars less than anticipated, so it is likely that the $2 million will now be able to fund the cost of resurfacing the track and court, as well.

Danny Hillman, the school district official in charge of Measure K construction projects, told the school board earlier this month that the hillside project is now projected to cost $1.85 million. The remaining money, he said, could be used to resurface the track and courts, both of which are needed.

Soil engineer Philip Gregory told the board that the hillside is safe, and no major repairs are needed.

“This was built with a 2 to 1 slope in 1990,” Gregory told the board on Feb. 13. “Normally, these kinds of things are built with a 3 to 1 slope. There’s nothing going on deep in the hillside. The top ten feet is experiencing soil creep.”

To stabilize the hill, crews will reshape the hill in a 3 to 1 grade.

As a result, a portion of the track and tennis court will need to be removed while the stabilization project is underway.

Hillman said that, since the original stabilization project was estimated at between $2 million and $3 million, before officials knew the extent of the problem, it is now possible to use the original $2 million set aside for the stabilization project and use the remainder to resurface the track and tennis courts.

Hillman will make his recommendation to the board at its Feb. 27 meeting.