The Norwegian Grade Reopens at 5 p.m. Today Just in Time for Holiday Traffic

Photo taken by Engineering Manager Tom Pizza. From Left: Construction Manager Chris Gabriel, Project Manager Dan Lazo, Inspector Fernado Perez, Design Engineer Tristan Santos

The main link between Thousand Oaks and Moorpark will reopen today after closing Sept. 20 for much needed repairs and safety improvements. The Norwegian Grade improvements, that cost just over $1.5 million, include a much longer guard rail, new signs and a slightly wider roadway. Before it was repaired there was only a small guardrail around the sharp curve. Now there's about 1/2 mile of guard rail. Before the blind curve, going each way, there are now flashing beacons warning of the sharp turn. There are also flashing markers on the pavement letting drivers know they should slow down. In some places the roadway had lanes that were only 10 feet wide. Now each lane of the two lane Moorpark Road, from Calle Contento to Santa Rosa Road, is 11 feet widefrom line to line. The pavement has been compacted underneath, covered with asphalt twice making it smooth and filled the entire length of the grade.

Best of all it's open again. Smoother and Safer. And OPEN!

Stuft Pizza Becomes Draughts Restaurant & Bar in Thousand Oaks

Popular restaurant Stuft Pizza was recently renamed after operating in Thousand Oaks for over 10 years. It is now called Draughts Restaurant & Bar. Draught is an English term that means "serving of a drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg, as in "they served beer on draft."  I was erroneously pronouncing it is "draft" when in reality it sounds more like "drot." 

Otherwise the place is the same! 20 HDTVs, fresh pizzas, pastas, salads and a full bar featuring dozens of beers.

Visit their website at www.draughtsrestaurant.com or call call 805.777.7883. Draughts is located at 398 N. Moorpark Road, in the Best Buy Shopping Center next to Ross (and across the parking lot from Mimi's Cafe).

Firefighters to Run in Memory of Young Fire Crew Member Bryan Banister

Firefighters will be taking to the streets tomorrow for the Bryan Banister Marathon in memory of one of their own who died last year after being struck by an SUV. Those participating will be running 26 miles or a half marathon of 13 miles beginning at the top of Wendy Park at the Sycamore Canyon Trail head. Or some will just come to the barbecue at noon at the finish line at Russell Park in Westlake Village where Bryan Banister's Memorial Tree is planted near Fire Station 31.

Bryan was 23 when he was killed while putting fuel in his pick-up truck on the shoulder of the I-5 Freeway on Nov. 10, 2009. He and a good Samaritan who was helping him died instantly when they both were struck by the SUV.