The project is widening and paving shoulders to a minimum of 8 ft. in each direction; providing a continuous 14-ft. wide two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL); a 20-ft. clear recovery zone (CRZ); continuous passing lanes; a 6-ft. wide unpaved shoulder in addition to the paved shoulder for slow moving agriculture equipment; increasing paved shoulder width to 14 ft. at school bus stops to provide a safe area for loading and unloading school children; and more.
(Photo courtesy of Caltrans.)
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is investing a fair amount of money into upgrading highways in the Yuba County area and one of them is the $131 million State Route 70 Safety Improvement and Passing Lanes Project that is being constructed by DeSilva Gates Construction (DGC).
The work began on April 18 last spring and should be completed in December 2023.
The work area covers a 9-mi. stretch between Laurellen Road and the South Honcut Creek Bridge. The project is widening and paving shoulders to a minimum of 8 ft. in each direction; providing a continuous 14-ft. wide two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL); a 20-ft. clear recovery zone (CRZ); continuous passing lanes; a 6-ft. wide unpaved shoulder in addition to the paved shoulder for slow moving agriculture equipment; increasing paved shoulder width to 14 ft. at school bus stops to provide a safe area for loading and unloading school children; installing rumble strips on the shoulders and both sides of TWLTL or centerline; straightening horizontal curves to improve sight distance; flattening vertical curves to improve sight distance; widening and paving local road intersections to accommodate truck turning movements; reconstructing driveways; replacing or extending culverts as needed; placing asphalt concrete overlay; and relocating utility poles.
The CRZ begins at the edge of the travel lanes, includes the paved and unpaved shoulder for 20 ft. and will be cleared of fixed objects such as utility poles, trees and ditches.
The upgrade is a priority for Caltrans.
"This segment of SR 70 has had 85 reported collisions from August 2010 and August 2013," said Gilbert Mohtes-Chan, public information officer of Caltrans District 3. "These collisions include seven fatalities and 32 reported injury accidents with the remainder being property damage only accidents. The number of fatal collisions along this section of highway was 3.8 times higher compared to the statewide average, qualifying this location for safety improvements. The proposed improvements are expected to reduce the collision rates at this location. Within the project limits, there are 136 driveways, 11 county roads, seven private roads and 22 farms/businesses. The school buses stop 26 times along SR 70 throughout the area to pick-up and drop-off school children."
Federal and State funds are covering the cost of this project.
The section of SR 70 has two lanes in each direction.
"Maintaining access at all times for the dozens of driveways and local cross streets is a major challenge for the contractor," said a Caltrans representative. "There were a number of utility poles that needed to be relocated for this project."
Caltrans is going all out to protect motorists and construction workers in the work zone.
"Motorists also should be watch out for flaggers handling intermittent traffic control along the corridor, as well as large orange traffic drums placed along the shoulder of the roadway," stated the project web page. "Over the next two years, [the contractor] will be working at various locations during day and nighttime hours Monday through Saturday. Motorists should allow additional travel time and may expect intermittent traffic-interfering work, especially during overnight hours. Residents in the area may hear loud construction noise, including OSHA-required vehicle backup warning alarms. The contractor will maintain access to all driveways and cross streets during construction."
The speed limit in the construction zone has been lowered to 45 MPH.
Aside from SR 70, there are many other projects in District 3 that will be worked on over the next few months/years. The California Transportation Commission recently allocated $878 million for transportation infrastructure.
In this region, contractors will make the following upgrades:
- City of West Sacramento: $16 million for the I Street Bridge Deck Conversion Project. This project will repurpose and modernize the historic I Street Bridge to close an active transportation gap and foster economic development between low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods in West Sacramento and Sacramento. The project will construct and connect new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant bicycle/pedestrian ramps on both sides of the Sacramento River and enhance the upper deck to facilitate and encourage active transportation between the two cities;
- Nevada County: $13.8 million for State Route 49 multi-modal corridor improvements;
- City of Rancho Cordova: $19.9 million for a Zinfandel Drive bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing;
- Yuba County: $21 million for the West Linda Safe Routes to School Project;
- City of Williams: $9.3 million for the E Street Complete Streets Project;
- Town of Paradise: $12.3 million for the Neal Gateway Project; $6.7 million for the Skyway Link Project; and $22 million for the Pentz Road Pathway Project;
- City of Placerville: $15.4 million for the first phase of Placerville Drive bicycle and pedestrian facilities improvements;
- Butte County: $7.8 million for the South Oroville Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity Project;
- City of Sacramento: $1.1 million for the Envision Broadway Project in Oak Park. CEG
Irwin Rapoport
A journalist who started his career at a weekly community newspaper, Irwin Rapoport has written about construction and architecture for more than 15 years, as well as a variety of other subjects, such as recycling, environmental issues, business supply chains, property development, pulp and paper, agriculture, solar power and energy, and education. Getting the story right and illustrating the hard work and professionalism that goes into completing road, bridge, and building projects is important to him. A key element of his construction articles is to provide readers with an opportunity to see how general contractors and departments of transportation complete their projects and address challenges so that lessons learned can be shared with a wider audience.
Rapoport has a BA in History and a Minor in Political Science from Concordia University. His hobbies include hiking, birding, cycling, reading, going to concerts and plays, hanging out with friends and family, and architecture. He is keen to one day write an MA thesis on military and economic planning by the Great Powers prior to the start of the First World War.
Read more from Irwin Rapoport here.
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