Caltrans paves way for I-80 projects

Improvements worth a combined ?$200 million?By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff WriterCaltrans is warning motorists they they will face some short-term pain this construction season in exchange for long-term gains in driveability and safety on Interstate 80 over the Sierra.Five separate construction sites will cause delays between Gold Run and the California-Nevada state line this year. Jody Lonergan, acting director for the district, said Wednesday at a press conference in Auburn that cumulative delays of up to one hour could take place.To lessen the impact, Caltrans has made traffic flow and disruption mitigation a focus of its planning procedure. State workers and contractors will perform most of the work at night or when traffic volumes are low. However, there will be times when delays could reach an hour for traffic heading from Auburn to the state line.Caltrans intends to monitor construction activities on I-80 and, in some cases, even suspend work when traffic flows break down.Lonergan said highway advisory radio and changeable message signs will be updated on an ongoing basis to keep drivers informed about road conditions. The California Highway Patrol will also maintain a constant presence in the ?cone zone? while strictly enforcing the speed limit through areas under construction, she said.Major construction scheduled this year involves the rehabilitation of Interstate 80 through the West Boca and Floriston areas, east of Truckee. When completed, an 11-mile stretch of highway will be resurfaced and rehabilitated, six bridges replaced, a truck climbing lane extended, and a new chain-on area created near Prosser Village Road. The project also features three new crossings designed to allow deer, bears and other animals to safely cross under the highway. In Truckee, workers will be replacing the Donner Park overcrossing.The first stage of the I-80 construction, which stretched from Roseville to the outskirts of Auburn, was completed last year at a cost of $10.6 million. The bridge carrying West Paoli Road in Weimar over I-80 was also raised more than 1½ feet at a cost of $1.2 million.Work on two more construction segments at Kingvale and Gold Run will feature 18 miles of new pavement. New fiber optics will also be installed so traffic cameras and weather sensors will be deployed. Roadside drainage will be upgraded to improve water quality and capture more sediment.Commuters can get updated information on work schedules by calling the California Highway Information Network at 1-800-427-ROAD. Work schedules and project information is available on the Internet at www.i80.dot.ca.gov.Karl Dreher, project manager, said the work is taking place on many areas where the road surface is over 40 years old. Interstate 80 was opened in 1960 to serve the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley.?It?s worn, it?s tired, but it?s done a wonderful job for the State of California,? Dreher said. ?We?re expecting the new road surface to last over 30 more years.?The five projects are worth a combined $200 million, he said.Dreher said motorists can expect reduced speed zones and work taking place during the evenings.?There will be some work during peak hours but it will be minimal,? he said.Still to come will be resurfacing and improvements from Newcastle to Auburn, Auburn to Colfax and Colfax to Gold Run. Dreher said plans have now been drawn up, but the projects still require funding approval. Resurfacing will not take place between Ophir Road and the Foresthill exit because that work was done during the Interstate 80 road-widening project completed in the early 1990s, he said.East of Colfax, plans include a third lane for trucks traveling uphill between the Long Ravine overpass and Secret Town.The project around Auburn could start as early as next year, if funding is obtained, Dreher said. Estimated cost is $52 million for the Ophir-to-Colfax work.