When the Ferguson Rockslide came tumbling down in 2006, no one anticipated the devastation it would have in the short term. After the emergency response was handled and temporary bridges were put in place, it seemed like things were rolling toward a permanent fix.

Progress continues toward the permanent solution for the Merced River Canyon around the slide, but it is slow, impeded by everything from engineering to environmental concerns. On Tuesday, Caltrans officials told the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors that it will likely be 2016 before the permanent restoration is complete.

Ross Chittenden, the new director of Caltrans District 10, along with Grace Magsayo and Christine Cox, addressed the board. Masai explained that the department still has the same six alternatives on the table. They range in cost from $35 to $180 million.

Cox said the technical studies have been completed and they took longer than originally estimated. “We’re closer to a final alternative,” she said. Caltrans has been conducting a recreation survey and working with other agencies throughout the process.

“We’re working through delicate issues,”Cox said. “This is a very complex project.”

Magsayo said Caltrans hopes to finalize the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in the winter of 2011. She expects the design process of any of the proposed alternatives to take up to 24 months. Then the project will go to bid, likely in spring of 2013. She expects completion in 2016.

Chittenden said that his agency is as concerned as Mariposa County about the project. “We’re very anxious to get the permanent solution in place up there,” he told the board. “It’s an interesting balance between engineering and environmental concerns.”

The director also addressed the state’s budget crisis, reassuring the board that it won’t have an affect on the project, which is federally funded. He said it remains eligible for emergency federal funding.

Supervisor Brad Aborn, whose represents the Highway 140 corridor, called the Ferguson Rockslide “the 13th wonder of the world” and expressed concern about getting information to his constituents.

District 3 representative Janet Bibby told the Caltrans representatives how important is it to keep the road open to visitors during the construction phase.

Lyle Turpin of District 2 said the timeline is frustrating. “Do I understand it? Yes,” the longtime road builder said. “Do I like it? No.”

Turpin said the longer it takes, the more it will cost. “We have no idea the additional cost,” he said. “We’ve got to keep this in mind. We’ve got to get down to planet Earth.”

Supervisor Jim Allen agreed. “We were hoping for something much sooner than that,” he told the Caltrans staff.

Cox said Caltrans has come a long way since the beginning of the project, but environmental issues keep things slow. “We’ve tried to explain the dilemma of being between a rock, the limestone salamander (an endangered species in the area) and the river,” she said. “Every alternative has the potential to upset someone.”

Board Chairman Kevin Cann, who spent many years dealing with environmental litigation while he was working in Yosemite, agreed. “There will be opposition to anything and everything,” he said, noting that county can just hope to avoid litigation.

Still, he stressed the importance of getting the road done and making sure people know that Highway 140 is open during the process. “Forty-six percent of our general fund comes from TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax), that lives or dies on that road being open,” he said. “It’s really our lifeblood.”