LAKE COUNTY — Orange traffic cones, heavy equipment and road crews are common sights for drivers on Lake County”s highways while construction projects are currently under way. Three large projects are expected to end in late summer and in the fall, according to Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr.
An approximately 3.5-mile stretch along Highway 20 in the Walker Ridge area near the Lake-Colusa county line is undergoing a $16 million safety improvement, according to Frisbie.
“Dollar wise, it”s the largest project in Lake County,” Frisbie said.
The project involves re-aligning curves to allow drivers to see farther, widening shoulders and installing new a new drainage system, according to Frisbie.
“As part of that project, one of those curves is having a large concrete retaining wall installed. It”s going to have a finish that looks like rock blended in on the edges into the surrounding surface,” Frisbie said.
The retaining wall will be on the inside of the curve in the road, and will prevent rock slides from the hill behind it, which Frisbie said was cut back in order to allow wider shoulders.
The bid for the project was awarded to Argonaut Constructors in September 2006, and major construction began in April 2007 after initial preparation work. Frisbee said the project is expected to be complete in the fall. One-way traffic in the construction zone is causing up to 15-minute delays in both directions between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to Frisbie. Traffic delays are ongoing in two other construction zones in Lake County, one farther west on Highway 20 and one on Highway 29 north of its intersection with Highway 53 in Lower Lake.
Both projects are repaving projects and are expected to be finished in August. Travelers using Highway 20 between Upper Lake and the Lake-Mendocino county line can expect delays up to 10 minutes between 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., where crews are working 20 hours a day to reduce the length of the project, according to Frisbie.
Along Highway 29 north of Highway 53, delays up to 20 minutes can be expected between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Monday mornings, and Tuesday nights through Wednesday mornings, according to Frisbie. Minor slowing down can be expected between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday evening through Friday afternoon.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
