As Calistoga Road is repaved, retaining walls are built along the Lake County Highway and the Porter Creek bridge is rebuilt, Calistogans have had a difficult time getting out of town this summer. Two readers asked about progress on the Highway 29 construction, and we’ve gotten an update on the other two projects from Tom O’Kane, deputy director of Sonoma County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works.

Question: Any progress updates on the 24 hour one-way controlled traffic on HWY 29 in Napa County? The original closure announcement before the work started in May states the closure is through mid-late October. It would be nice to know if they’re on track, ahead or behind schedule. With a mountain of dirt still covering the South bound lane and a bunch of work going on up the hill I’m not confident they’ll have it open in another month…

Question: I have not been able to find any info on how long this situation is going to last:  Hwy 29 in Napa County over Mt St Helena has a one way blockage with stop lights (not timed well).  There’s no info on it on Cal Trans web site.  It’s been going on for months.  When will it end?  For now it looks like a big pile of dirt from the hillside; this will be a mess when the rains start. It adds a lot of time to commute between Lake County & Napa County and Sonoma County.  Any info would be appreciated. — Jacquie Bogue

Answer: While crews build two retaining walls where a large slide occurred in 2006, one lane of the Lake County Highway has been closed since May between Robert Louis Stevenson Historical Trail and Livermore Road, north of Calistoga. Caltrans spokesman Adam Priest says they’re on target with the project and expect to have it completed in mid- to late October.

Porter Creek Bridge

O’Kane says the Porter Creek Bridge replacement project is going very well. The concrete deck of the outside portion of the new structure was poured about a week ago and will take about three more weeks to cure fully. In mid- to late October, traffic will be shifted to those lanes so that construction of the center portion of the new bridge can proceed.

“We are still on schedule for substantial completion in late spring or early summer,” O’Kane adds.

Calistoga Road

Repaving work on Calistoga Road is essentially complete at this point. “There may be some minor items that will need to be addressed at final inspection, but the new pavement looks great,” O’Kane said.

It looks so great that Ann Sutherland wrote to say, “Big hugs for the repaving of the nightmare track over Calistoga Road to the junction of Mark West Springs Road.  I thank you and my car thanks you – whoever is responsible.”