As Staff Writer Lori A. Carter reported:

As Sonoma County motorists deal with Highway 101’s seemingly endless repairs, beginning today, another major artery will be under construction: Highway 116.
The 3-mile portion of Highway 116 between Adobe Road near Petaluma and Arnold Drive in Sonoma, a stretch known as Stage Gulch Road, will undergo a two-year safety upgrade.
Caltrans will start the $11 million project on Monday, weather permitting. The repairs include new shoulders, horizontal and vertical curve reduction, a new alignment west of the county refuse transfer station, improved metal guard rails and new retaining walls.
The anticipated completion date for the project is spring 2012.
“The new road alignment and wider shoulders will be a benefit to all motorists,” said Bijan Sartipi, Caltrans director for the Sonoma County area.
The road will remain open during construction, although drivers can expect night lane closures and one-way traffic control from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays, with longer closures on the weekends.
Temporary delays also are possible during daytime hours as construction trucks cross the highway, Caltrans said. Motorists are asked to watch for slow or stopped vehicles in the construction zone.
Lane closure information is available at www.dot.ca.gov/dist4 or by following the project on Twitter @sonoma116.