Although federal stimulus money hasn’t arrived, a shovel-ready job is going to move forward because of public safety concerns.

Residents are increasingly concerned about the windy mountain style road known as the Norwegian Grade—Moorpark Road between Calle Contento and Santa Rosa Road—because it’s deteriorated so much, said Mark Watkins, director of public works.

The road is beyond repair. Although city workers are frequently filling potholes and making other fixes, it now needs complete reconstruction.

The public works department has created a plan on how to rebuild and recycle the road at the same time. It’s called “in-place recycling.”

“We’ll grind up the existing asphalt, mix it with a stabilizing agent such as concrete and put it back down,” said Jay Spurgin, deputy public works director.

It will be covered with asphalt rubber hot mix made from recycled tires.

Guard rail and drainage improvements are also planned for the Norwegian Grade.

While doing the work, the road will be shut down from the Conejo Valley YMCA at 4031 Moorpark Road north to Santa Rosa Road for about three months, Spurgin said. The city is working with Moorpark, California Lutheran University, the police and fire departments and the YMCA on closure impacts.

The project could start in June, July or August, Spurgin said.

So far the city has budgeted $1.18 million, of which about $422,000 is to be funded by a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant. The project is estimated to cost $2.8 million.

It was supposedly eligible for $2 million in federal stimulus funds, but it looks like that isn’t going to pan out, Spurgin said.

In the 1960s, the city inherited what he described as “probably the most difficult stretch of road we have.”

The two-lane grade used to be State Route 23, the only connection between Thousand Oaks and Moorpark before the 23 Freeway was completed, Spurgin said.