LAKE COUNTY >> CalTrans’s Highway 29 widening project from Kelseyville to Lower Lake will be completed in three different stages, a department official said today.
According to CalTrans Public Information Officer Phil Frisbie, the region’s district simply doesn’t have the money to fund the project in its entirety, which he said was more than $200 million.
“We knew we weren’t going to get allocated that much,” Frisbie added.
Instead, it will be broken in three different segments, going from Kit’s Corner in Kelseyville to Diener Drive in Lower Lake. The first phase, which will complete 3 miles at the Kelseyville end, will begin construction around Summer 2019. It is estimated at $56 million.
Despite an infrastructure funding crisis in Sacramento, Frisbie said his Caltrans district — District 1 — is sure that they will have the money available.
“We have had any cuts,” he said.
However, the crisis has delayed their other projects and this segment is no exception. According to the project’s website, it was supposed to begin in Summer 2018 but now it has been pushed back a year to 2019.
As for the start time for the two subsequent segments, it comes down to whether or not funding will be made available. Unfortunately at that time, road projects will be more expensive due to inflation.
“Generally, every year goes up,” he said. “We are looking at alternative funding sources.”
One idea is to get money from the State Highway Operation and Protection Program in addition to the State Transportation Improvement Program funds which it currently receives but Frisbie said it’s “too early to tell” if that option is viable.
But before any construction can get done in must finalize and get approval for the Environmental Impact Report that Caltrans is hoping will cover all three segments.
It will be open for discussion on June 8 at Lower Lake High School. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
