By Samuel Strait, Reporter at Large – June 24, 2021 If you happen to live south of Last Chance Grade, the road closures are a big problem. If you are a visitor wishing to experience our stretch of the North Coast, you might be thinking of giving it a pass this year. If you think that the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors is making almost no effort to change anything about the road closure or even the options available in the future to correct the problems that have existed since the road was constructed, you appear to be right about all three. If anyone happens to tune into the continuing round of endless "zoom" meetings where Supervisors continue to hide from public scrutiny, you would have noticed that Last Chance Grade did become a topic of conversation during the supervisor's meeting of June 22nd. As per usual, nothing of any value occurred despite a plea by Supervisor Berkowitz, District Five, for supervisors to become more active and expressing displeasure with the two options considered to be the only options. After a brisk round of back patting for CalTrans and the road's current contractor, the conversation quickly turned to "this state of road closures" is likely to continue through the summer months and into the fall month of October. How delightful, except of course if you live in Klamath or have to drive south to Eureka, or maybe even wish to spend some tourist dollars in Del Norte County north of Last Chance Grade. None of this concerned our fearless leaders, as they seemed dismissive of any issue this might present. Naturally, if the road closure was on a major access to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Sacramento the problem would have been addressed completely in February. Our "leadership" moans about the inability to solve the problem while CalTrans calls the shots. From the Board's conversation at the meeting, there was a notable acquiescence to the idea that the current alignment of Highway 101 is to be the default choice. It is likely that the current delay in opening up the traffic to normal two way passage is predicated on doing the prep work for cutting back the hillside above the grade and preparing for the "de watering" process for the eventual announcement that the current alignment has become the primary option. Wouldn't want the current work and expense to go to waste. In the mean time everyone is kept in limbo, thinking what's the hold up? The current Board members, Gerry Hemmingsen and Valerie Starkey prattle on about "new" information that excludes the seven other options, although acknowledge that no one thinks using the current alignment is a path to success. One thing in its favor, is that it is the cheapest that the State can get away with. What did come to light in the Board's insincere concern was the fact that another route on the ridge above the current alignment was deemed unstable in studies which led to removal from consideration. Now CalTrans wishes to restructure the current alignment below that dismissed alternative. Does anyone out there think that is a bit odd? Much of the remaining discussion centered around Supervisor Short's brilliant observation that environmental obstruction was a major concern and the County's "leadership" were uncomfortable with taking that on. Somehow a bypass around Prairie Creek managed to escape the wrath of enviroextremism and the "Old Growth Redwoods" do not extend endlessly East. Just a thought.