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Centennial Corridor construction stopped

Posted at 2:14 PM, May 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-25 19:04:46-04

Tuesday morning Judge Twisselman ordered a stop to demolition associated with the Centennial Corridor Project, during an emergency hearing, according to attorney Jamie Hall.

The hearing was held as a reaction to flyers that went out last Friday informing residents that demolition of an apartment building on Williamson Way was going to take place Monday.

Tuesday morning, the only things left standing of the apartment complex were two staircases, amid mounds of debris.

"My daughter used to sit there on the landing and color," former resident Devaughn Parks said.

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Parks said he raised his daughter in that apartment complex, but said it was time to move and believes the project is a good thing for the future.

"A lot of people will get to work or different destinations a lot faster," Parks said.

Also watching at the construction site was the Manager of Moby's Auto Wash, John Johnson."Everything has been going pretty smooth. I'm just glad Moby's wasn't affected," Johnson said.

Johnson said he's been working as a manager for more than a year and says this job means the world to him.

Just north of the construction zone, neighbors are dealing with vacant homes with dead lawns and large "No Trespassing" signs.

"When push came to shove, they didn't like being a landlord," Hall said the city wanted to demolish the homes to keep out squatters and crime.

Hall said this also creates more of a preference and momentum for this particular route.

The project was finalized and approved in February of 2016 under route B.

Route A follows Stockdale Highway west, then swings north near New Stine Road. Attorneys said the concern there is the possible impact on a historic district near Montclair Street.

Route C basically follows the 99 then swings west just north of California Avenue.

According to information provided by Cal Trans during the public meeting on June 11, 2014, route B impacts the most residential households and least businesses.

The next hearing will be June 3rd, according to Hall.

The city said the goal of this project is to relieve traffic on Rosedale Highway.