Caltrans rehabbing Highway 70 near Chilcoot
Work has begun on Caltrans’ Chilcoot Rehab Project, which will run on SR-70 from the schoolhouse in Sierra Valley to Hallelujah Junction at 395.
The project is set to rehabilitate roads and improve items such as drainage and safety. The project is funded by the Office of State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP) and SB1, which is a landmark transportation investment to rebuild California one road at a time.
The work will be taking place concurrently at all sites during the project, which will run May 13, through Thanksgiving of this year.
“The Chilcoot Rehab project is a $17.4 million project,” said Ron Collins, resident engineer at Caltrans. “It’s a big project.”
The work is contracted with Hat Creek Construction, and crews are beginning with work such as drainage before moving on to paving segments through the project.
Safety is an imperative priority in this project, Collins explained. While guardrails will be upgraded to the most current safety standards, roadwork crews are also a priority with the recent directive to lower the speed limit by 10 miles per hour of the posted limit in construction zones.
This also means that speeds will be reduced at all times and there will be traffic control around the clock once the 24-hour pavement work begins.
“We are reducing speeds for everyone’s safety with the statewide speed reduction program,” Collins said.
Pavement work is predicted to begin in July, but the weather has thus far proven to be tricky for roadwork. “We’re keeping our eyes on weather days out in regard to this project,” Collins added.
The project area road will receive a full depth recycle, where the existing pavement is taken from the ground, mixed with cement and oil, and laid back down. Once that is complete, a five-inch overlay goes over the recycle, before paint stripes are laid down. Collins asks drivers to expect 15-minute delays in construction zones for the duration of this project.
