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Road Warrior

Trying to make sense out of getting around

Final part of Mendocino/Lake paving project gets under way

Monday, at 4:47 by

The Mendocino County leg of a Caltrans repaving project is under way. Work began Monday on a nearly 10.5-mile stretch of Highway 175  from Highway 101 in Hopland to just past the Lake County line, and it’ll cause traffic delays of up to 15 minutes for drivers. The work will be 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and is expected to last into the summer, Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. said. The $17.6 million project began last summer in Lake… Read More »

10 mattresses and more picked up along North Coast highways

Wednesday, at 4:45 by

The North Coast’s highways are a bit cleaner these days, especially Highway 53 in Lake County. The highway is only about 7.5 miles long, from Lower Lake to Clearlake Oaks. But Caltrans considers it the dirtiest highway in Lake and Mendocino counties. So last Thursday, which was designated Caltrans’ statewide Annual Litter Day, it probably came as no surprise to the maintenance crews who went out to pick up litter and other garbage along 53 to discover 10 mattresses along… Read More »

Traffic lights or roundabout for Hwy. 20/29 intersection?

Thursday, at 10:20 by

Caltrans today will hold an open house in Upper Lake to present information about two alternatives to improve safety at the intersection of  Highways 20 and 29: Traffic lights or a roundabout. “The project is needed because the collision rate at the intersection is 3.7 times greater than the statewide average for similar intersections,” Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. said in a statement. At today’s open house, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Upper Lake Middle Schools gym, the public… Read More »

Highway 1 bridge in Mendocino County being replaced

Monday, at 10:36 by

A two-and-a-half-year, $20.5 million project to replace an ailing bridge on Highway 1 in Mendocino County is under way, and drivers can expect some traffic delays. Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. said in a statement that the 56-year-old Greenwood Creek Bridge near Elk “is nearing the end of its service life” and ‘is in need of deck rehabilitation and rail replacement.” He said the creek’s channel shifted over the years and has exposed one of the footings for the bridge.… Read More »

Mailbag: Why cable barriers on Hwy. 101 in Ukiah?

Friday, at 9:00 by

Here’s a question from a Road Warrior reader: Do you know why they are putting all the work into making a barrier in the median strip of Highway 101 in Ukiah? There is much more traffic south of Cloverdale and with less space between north and southbound lanes there is no barrier. I can’t figure out a reason they need a barrier, and I’ve been trying for weeks now. Heard anything? Karen Here’s an answer from Caltrans District 1 spokesman… Read More »

Mailbag: Hwy. 128 paving plans

Saturday, at 6:00 by

Here’s a question from a Road Warrior reader: Does Caltrans have plans to finish repaving Hwy. 128 in Mendocino County. They did a fine job on the stretch from Philo out to the coast, but from Philo to the Sonoma County line is in awful shape (like so many of our roads). Thanks, Jim of Boonville The answer comes from Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr.: We have two more paving projects which will occur next spring/summer. Between the two projects… Read More »

$66 million for school safety

Saturday, at 3:59 by

Caltrans last week awarded a total of $66 million to cities and counties across the state for projects to make it safer for students to walk or ride their bikes to school. Nearly $2 million was designated for school safety projects in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. said when the work will be done is up to each agency involved but the funding is good for seven years. The North Coast projects are: –In Clearlake,… Read More »

Safety measure at dangerous Lake intersection

Friday, at 9:48 by

One of Lake County’s most dangerous intersections is being changed Monday. The intersection of Highway 29 and Hartmann Road in Hidden Valley will become a three-way stop. Now, there’s only a stop sign at Hartmann. Three people have been killed in collisions at the intersection in the last 17 months. Caltrans at first planned only to install flashing beacons to warn drivers of the intersection. But officials said they decided that with an increase in the number of intersections in… Read More »

Ft. Bragg $4.4 million roundabout opens

Friday, at 9:35 by

Going to Fort Bragg? Get ready for the Highway 1 roundabout. Drivers this week began using the roundabout at Simpson Lane just south of Fort Bragg after Caltrans opened it. Construction crews still are putting the finishing touches on the $4.4 million project and are expected to be done later this fall. Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. has said the roundabout is the second one on a Mendocino County highway, with the first on Highway 175 near Hopland. The Fort… Read More »

Mailbag: Sidewalk? Bike lane? What is it?

Friday, at 9:00 by

Here’s a question from a reader about Highway 101: What the heck are they doing in the center divide along 101 through Ukiah/Redwood Valley? Us locals would really like to know. What is the concrete-sidewalk-type strip they are installing in the center divide all through Ukiah and north into Redwood Valley? Is this a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk? A bike lane (in the center divide)? What are our bottomless tax dollars being spent on here? Again, us locals would love to know.… Read More »