California Highway Headlines for August 2016

August. The beginning of brush fire season in Southern California. So far this month, we’ve seen numerous highways closed due to brush fires, from Route 14 and I-15, to Route 1, to the routes up in Lake County. We need the other LA to send us some rain. So while you’re staying safe (hopefully) on the roads, here are some headlines from the month:

• Calaveras State Route 49 Rumble Strip Safety Project Complete. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has recently completed an $823,000 rumble strip safety project on State Route 49 (SR-49) at various locations throughout Calaveras County. This project installed rumble strips which are ground into the pavement and designed to alert drivers when their vehicles leave their traffic lane. As tires pass over the rumble strips, drivers can hear the noise and feel the vibration produced by these rumble strips…
• Highway 99 rest area off-ramp to close for roadway repairs. The California Department of Transportation sent out two commuter alerts for Tulare County motorists. First, the southbound Highway 99 off-ramp to Dodge Avenue will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The exit also serves the CH Warlow rest area, just north of Traver.
• Motorists flocking to newly opened I-580 express lanes in Alameda County. Motorists took nearly 1.9 million trips on Interstate 580’s new express lanes in Alameda County in the first four months the lanes opened to vehicle traffic earlier this year, according to a recent report. The $345 million project opened on the notoriously congested Tri-Valley corridor in mid-February to solo drivers, who pay an extra toll to use the lane, and to carpoolers, who can drive for free.
• The Future of Neighborhoods: Removing Urban Freeways Gains Fresh Traction. Growing up on the north side of Charlotte, North Carolina, Anthony Foxx remembers the geography of his childhood being defined by a quiet neighborhood of ranch-style houses, well-kept lawns—and an imposing brick wall at the end of the block. On the other side of the wall, there ran a high-speed on-ramp that connected the eastbound lanes of Interstate 85 with the southbound lanes of Interstate 77, two highways that cradled the northeast corner of the neighborhood. For Foxx, the wall, the highways, and the hum of traffic blended into the background. He knew nothing different. Over time, he came to understand they weren’t part of the neighborhood at all but more like interloping house guests.

• Awesome map shows what Metro’s November ballot measure would bring. On the ballot this November is a ballot measure from Metro that would raise more than $120 billion through sales taxes for Metro projects across the county. If approved, the measure would amount to a permanent half-cent sales tax increase to fund not just new rail lines but also upgrades to bus lines, roads, and highways. This new map from Steve Boland, a transportation planner who blogs at CalUrbanist, shows what rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) projects would be funded if voters pass that measure.
• Last big piece of old Bay Bridge ready to sail into history. Next week, say goodbye to the largest remaining piece of the original east span of the Bay Bridge. It’s 504 feet long and 80 feet high — the last of the five trussed spans that once formed the central third of the roadway from Oakland’s muddy shore to the forested knob of Yerba Buena Island. And even though two decks of asphalt and much of the steelwork has been removed, the homely structure still weighs roughly 3.2 million pounds.
• Willits Bypass Completion Ceremony Date Set. Caltrans is pleased to announce the completion ceremony for the Willits Bypass has been scheduled for Thursday, November 3 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony, which will include dedicating the 1.1 mile long viaduct bridge to fallen U. S. Navy Seal Jesse Pittman, will take place on the new highway, at the north end of the viaduct, near the north interchange. The public will be invited, and more details will follow.
• Janet Nguyen announces official renaming of Long Beach Bridge after Olympian Joan Lind Van Blom. As millions around the world gather to celebrate the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Senator Janet Nguyen is proud to announce that the California State Legislature has approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 102 (SCR 102) authorizing the renaming of a bridge in Long Beach after Joan Lind Van Blom, the first woman to win an Olympic medal in rowing for the United States. To further honor her legacy, plans are also underway to host a public ceremony officially dedicating the bridge in honor of the longtime Long Beach resident.
• Ramp connecting Interstate 80, State Route 12 to open soon. A new ramp in Fairfield connecting westbound Interstate 80 and westbound State Route 12 will be opening at the end of the month, according to the California Department of Transportation. Caltrans will begin shifting westbound I-80 traffic to the new ramp, which along with the new Green Valley Road overcrossing completes the first of seven phases of the I-80/I-680/SR-12 Interchange Project.
• Beautifying American Canyon’s ‘Main Street’ is not an easy task. American Canyon wants to redevelop, and in some cases simply develop, its Broadway corridor, the stretch of Highway 29 that cuts through the heart of town. It has spent the past two years crafting a plan for this effort, a partial draft of which was reviewed recently by the City Council. The workshop revealed many issues still to be addressed to make the Broadway District a thriving place to visit, if not live in.
• New Green Valley overpass gets VIP opening. The Interstate 80/I-680/Highway 12 interchange project is not quite ready for the bow on top, but local, state and federal officials conducted a ceremonial ribbon cutting Tuesday morning on the $110 million enterprise. The ceremony did mark the official opening of the new Green Valley Road overpass, one of the centerpieces to the massive project.
• Video: Caltrans start removing last sections of old Bay Bridge today. Caltrans crews are set to remove the last of the tallest, most visible truss segments of the original eastbound span of the Bay Bridge starting Wednesday morning, according to Caltrans.
• Marin Headlands’ ‘Five-Minute Tunnel’ to undergo major repairs as it nears 100. As it nears its 100th birthday, the historic Baker-Barry Tunnel — also known as the “Five-Minute Tunnel” — in the Marin Headlands will see major work later this year. The roughly half-mile tunnel that connects Sausalito to Rodeo Beach, the Marine Mammal Center, Capehart housing and World War II-era Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands could be closed for up to four months as repair work commences as soon as October.
• Work on Jameson Canyon gateway to Napa nearing completion. A major Interstate 80 connection with Highway 12 – one leading to the Jameson Canyon route into Napa County – is seeing changes on a grand scale that are nearing completion. Work is being done at Fairfield in Solano County and involves the ramps linking westbound I-80 to westbound Highway 12. A $67 million construction project is creating a whole, new look that could debut in phases starting in late August.
• Roadshow: I-80 rebuild begins, and it’s a biggie. On Interstate 80 west, between El Portal Drive and the San Pablo Dam Road exit, there is a big construction project going on and a part of the sound wall has been pulled down. Is Caltrans installing an extra lane, in a prelude to the reconstruction of I-80 and the San Pablo interchange?
• Ramp connecting Interstate 80, State Route 12 to open soon. A new ramp in Fairfield connecting westbound Interstate 80 and westbound State Route 12 will be opening at the end of the month, according to the California Department of Transportation. Caltrans will begin shifting westbound I-80 traffic to the new ramp, which along with the new Green Valley Road overcrossing completes the first of seven phases of the I-80/I-680/SR-12 Interchange Project
• Now this is how you design a freeway underpass. Like most places in the U.S., the Silicon Valley city of Campbell made a big mistake a half-century ago. When California State Route 17 came plowing through town, transportation planners located it so close to Campbell’s historic downtown that it sheared the picturesque streets off from the surrounding neighborhoods. This was fine for cars, and awful for everyone else, who now had to duck into a dark, dirty, dangerous hole. This week, a smart redesign of Campbell’s busiest underpass revealed a well-lit path fringed with public art, landscaping, and a sweeping 26-foot-wide sidewalk.
• Saving Highway 37 from flooding will be an expensive, long-term project. Sonoma County Supervisors listened intently to plans to address State Highway 37 congestion and rising ocean levels that are likely to submerge portions of the North Bay’s major traffic conduit. Highway 37 connects Solano, Sonoma, and Marin counties along San Pablo Bay. Napa is intrinsically affected by what happens to the highway as well.
• Toll lane study gets a big boost: Local companies chip in $3 million for Highway 101 environmental review. Previously jeopardized plans to consider carpool lanes on the increasingly congested Highway 101 can now move forward as local companies have pledged a $3 million contribution. San Mateo County transportation officials have been working to cobble together funding for a study since losing an anticipated $9.4 million from the California Transportation Commission when it announced cuts due to a drastic drop in gas tax revenue.
• Salvaged Steel from Bay Bridge Will Soon Become Art. During its lifetime, millions of people drove across the eastern span of the old Bay Bridge, glimpsing its enormous steel girders through car windows. But that was nothing compared to the experience of walking among its newly salvaged beams, laying in a Caltrans yard not far from where it was erected in 1933 — and now is being dismantled.
• I-80 ramp onto Jameson Canyon Road to open Aug. 27. Caltrans intends to open the new westbound Interstate 80 to westbound Highway 12 connector early in the morning of Saturday, August 27. The new connector is intended to improve safety and reduce congestion for motorists traveling between the busy I-80 corridor in Solano County and Highway 12/Jameson Canyon toward the Napa Valley. As part of the project, the new westbound I-80 onramp from Green Valley Road will also be opened on Aug. 27.
• Will new 10 Freeway soundwalls hide West Covina’s identity from LA travelers?. West Covina’s personality and the concrete lanes of the 10 Freeway are forever connected. For almost 60 years, the stretch of freeway between the border with Baldwin Park and the 57 Freeway atop Kellogg Hill has shaped the history of the largest city in the east San Gabriel Valley. It’s not just the automobiles that travel the freeway — the city’s main artery — but the swatch of retail stores lining both sides pumping life into this suburban town 19 miles east of Los Angeles.
• Bridge over 405 connecting Costa Mesa and Irvine to close for repairs for 4 months. A bridge over the 405 Freeway that links Costa Mesa and Irvine will be shut down soon for four months of repairs to stabilize the embankment under one of the approach ramps. The California Department of Transportation plans to close Red Hill Avenue to all traffic between Pullman Street in Costa Mesa and Main Street in Irvine starting at 9 p.m. Aug. 29. The bridge is part of that stretch.
• Central Coast to get millions to improve aging highways and roads. The California Transportation Commission has earmarked $814 million to more than a hundred transportation projects. “Each of these projects is an opportunity to improve safety, access and mobility for all travelers in California, whether you choose to travel via car, bike or transit,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty in a press release.
• California Transportation Commission allocates $814 million for transportation projects. The California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $814 million for 135 transportation projects across the state. The bulk of the funding, $732.7 million, comes from the State Highway Operation and Protection Program for 72 “fix-it-first” projects
• City Transportation Department Reports on I-210-Reconstruction as Caltrans Prepares More Closures This Weekend. Eastbound lanes on the Interstate 210 freeway will again be closed to traffic for a 34-hour period beginning Saturday, August 27, until Monday, August 29, as part of the ongoing reconstruction on the interstate in northwest Pasadena.
• Caltrans gets OK to blast Bay Bridge piers. Caltrans has been granted permission to remove two piers of the old eastern span of the Bay Bridge using the same implosion technique that safely demolished the span’s largest pier in a matter of seconds last November, the transportation agency said.
• Roadshow: 15-hour-a-day carpool lanes coming to more Bay Area freeways. I think the reader who opined about losing a lane on Interstate 680 between Walnut Creek and Dublin was more correct than not with his concern. The current commuter lane in Contra Costa County operates as a part-time carpool lane — with operating hours in the morning and evening (between 5-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. — a total of 8 hours).
• Bay Bridge bike path: Still the road to nowhere. Already two years behind schedule, the opening of the Bay Bridge eastern span bike path connector to Yerba Buena Island is being delayed another month, until mid-October — this time because the landing area is still a mess. As recently as three months ago, Caltrans officials said they expected to finally connect the 2.2-mile path from Oakland by September. On Monday, however, a Bay Bridge oversight panel decided construction crews needed more time to grade, pave and stripe the road where the bike path will touch down.
• Third Eastbound Lane for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Clears Key Hurdle. The planned addition of a third eastbound lane to Interstate 580 across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and other improvements along the nearly six-mile corridor reached a key milestone this month as state officials finalized project approval and certified environmental documentation for the $73 million project spearheaded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Caltrans, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). State approval clears the way for MTC this week to advertise a trio of construction contracts and keeps the $73 million initiative on track to begin construction this October, with the third eastbound lane slated to open in October 2017.
• Golden Gate Bridge toll collection to see dramatic change. A large gantry-type structure is in the offing at the Golden Gate Bridge as officials look to upgrade toll collection machinery. The move could also result in the demise of the toll plaza that has been part of the structure since it opened in 1937.
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  Signs to ease traffic on I-80 in East Bay set to come to life. New electronic signs will blink on Thursday in an attempt by traffic engineers to help motorists on one of the most congested sections of highway in the Bay Area avoid even more traffic misery. More than 110 advisory signs will be activated on the 20-mile stretch of westbound Interstate 80 between the Carquinez Bridge and the Bay Bridge and on surrounding roads, said Shannon Brinias, spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation.
• Long undercounted, Bakersfield is ‘Next 5 Exits’ no more. Depending on which way they’re traveling, freeway motorists coming into Bakersfield may be getting a skewed, funhouse mirror perception of the city’s size based on two Caltrans signs along Highway 99. The city might seem considerably smaller to drivers going in one direction than to those going the opposite way. That’s because when contractors finished a $1.4 million sign replacement project in late June, they failed to change out one of those green-and-white exit advisory signs.
• Adelanto road rehabs, widenings in future sights. With an estimated $8.2 million in Measure I funds available over the next five years, Adelanto’s capital improvement plan shows the most expensive projects are road rehabilitations and a widening. Measure I is the voter-approved half-cent sales tax in San Bernardino County used for transportation improvements.
• Wilk-Lackey Bill Names Section of SR14 for Sharon Runner. Assemblyman Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R- Palmdale, presented Assembly Concurrent Resolution 138, which would name a portion of State Highway Route 14 as the Senator Sharon Runner Memorial Highway. ACR 138 unanimously passed the Assembly.
• CTC approves $814 million in new transportation funding for state’s infrastructure system. Continuing the push to rebuild and maintain California’s infrastructure, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated $814 million to 135 transportation projects that will alleviate traffic delays, repair aging roads and bridges and encourage bicycling and walking. This includes 34 biking and pedestrian projects throughout the state that will receive $12.1 million in allocations from the Active Transportation Program.
• Do you drive the 210? Soon, you’ll be driving on the Jackie Robinson highway. Jackie Robinson has earned another posthumous honor. California officials have named part of the 210 Freeway after the baseball great and civil rights pioneer. The section runs from Gould Avenue to Orange Grove Boulevard. Although Robinson was born in Georgia, he spent his formative years in Pasadena near that stretch of freeway.
• More Than $25 Million to be Spent on Road Projects Throughout Riverside County. More than $25 million will be spent on upgrades and modifications intended to improve traffic flow on Riverside County freeways and expand programs encouraging youths to walk to school, it was announced Friday. According to Caltrans, the California Transportation Commission allocated the funds as part of an $814 million package covering 135 infrastructure projects throughout the state.
• California Transportation Commission allocates $814 million to 135 projects throughout state. Many natives on the North Coast know just how traveled its roads are, because unfortunately, it shows. According to the Federal Highway Administration, Californians drive an average of 14,435 miles per year. So, it’s clear to see why funding to repair worn out roads in necessary. The California Transportation Commission is providing just that. In all, it has allocated $814 million to 135 projects throughout the state. Together, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte will benefit from 11 of those projects.
• Golden Gate Bridge may remove toll plaza after 84 drivers crash into it (Warning: Annoying Autoplay Audio). Drivers are crashing into the Golden Gate Bridge toll plaza more than ever before. That’s according to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, which presented its plans for a new crash-free replacement for the toll plaza last Thursday. The plan for a new toll plaza is simple enough: there won’t be one. Instead, the district plans to build a “gantry” for collecting tolls which would be erected by 2018, and though they have not committed on a date, the Golden Gate District Board of Directors discussed the need to also tear down the current toll plaza.
• Roadshow: Lake Tahoe driver scared by this stretch of Highway 89. Q Interstate 80 east bound outside Colfax: Looks like a lot of trees have been cut down. Is this stretch going to be widened?
• Caltrans may begin selling 710 Freeway extension properties this fall. Under orders by both the governor and the state Legislature, and after a years-long push by both cities and tenants, Caltrans will soon begin selling houses along the path of a scuttled surface route of a north 710 Freeway extension. The state transportation agency, often criticized as an absentee landlord dragging its feet, will begin taking first offers on 42 properties this fall, said agency spokeswoman Lauren Wonder on Monday.