Marysville Appeal-Democrat

A look at road projects in Yuba-sutter-colusa

- By Lynzie Lowe llowe@appealdemo­crat.com

There’s no shortage of roadwork in the YubaSutter-colusa region, local and state. Here’s a look at some of the various projects, as reported by local officials:

– After months of constructi­on work, Gilbert Mohtes-chan, public informatio­n officer for Caltrans District 3, said work on a $37.7 million project to restore nearly 12 lane miles of pavement on State Route 20 between Lytle Road and the

Sutter Bypass, widen the shoulders and replace the Wadsworth Canal Bridge will be completed in just a few weeks.

“Bridge deck surfacing and drainage work on the new Wadsworth Canal Bridge is anticipate­d this month,” said MohtesChan.

– A $61.5 million project on State Route 20 in Yuba County to straighten and flatten roadway curves and slopes, widen shoulders, construct a new bridge and rehabilita­te a 4.5-mile section of roadway in the Browns Valley area is expected to be completed later this year but progress has been stalled.

“Main highway roadwork is in winter suspension,” said MohtesChan. “Dry Creek bridge work adjacent to the highway is scheduled to continue during the winter, depending on the weather.”

– To the east, the $54 million Caltrans project on State Route 20 in

Yuba County that will straighten curves, widen shoulders, construct a new bridge and rehabilita­te a two-mile section of roadway in the Timbuctoo area is also on winter suspension, according to Mohtes-chan, but Freshwater Creek bridge work adjacent to the highway is scheduled to continue during the winter, depending on the weather.

– Work was wrapped up a few months ago on the $16.8 million project on State Route 20 in Yuba County to rehabilita­te the pavement, widen shoulders and realign the roadway between Loma Rica Road and Spring Valley Road, said MohtesChan.

– In Marysville, contractor­s are continuing drainage work, including work on a pumphouse and temporary erosion control, as well as bridge deck work on a stretch of Highway 70 to replace the Simmerly Slough Bridge. According to MohtesChan, constructi­on of a sidewalk between Cemetery Road and Laurellen Road will begin soon.

“The sidewalk would connect the two local roads to the new walkway on the bridge,” said Mohtes-chan. “In early spring, the contractor plans to connect the existing highway to the new bridge.”

– Overlay projects for the Feather River Boulevard Farm to Market Phase II project and the Erle Road Boulevard Rehabilita­tion Project have also been completed in Yuba County, according to Dan Peterson, director of Public Works for Yuba County.

– In Live Oak, MohtesChan said, the contractor is continuing to work on the undergroun­d waterline and drainage systems, depending on the weather, for the $36 million pavement and streetscap­e project by Caltrans and the city of Live Oak. The project will replace the old pavement, flatten the roadway, construct new sidewalks, curbs and gutters, upgrade drainage systems, and improve traffic signals, bicycle and pedestrian signals between Pennington Road and Elm Street.

“The dry weather this winter is allowing crews to make good progress on the undergroun­d utility work,” said Mohtes

Chan. “We’re reminding motorists to be alert for workers and constructi­on equipment throughout the winter.”

– In Colusa, the contractor still has some minor sidewalk and light pole installati­on work left to do for the $19.3 million project by Caltrans, the city of Colusa and Colusa County to replace the old pavement, flatten the roadway, construct new sidewalks, curbs and gutters and improve drainage between Market Street and Butte Vista

Way.

While Mohtes-chan said the city of Colusa recently gave the green light to ordering the metal light poles to replace the temporary wooden poles, there is no date for the installati­on work at this time.

Future projects

– According to MohtesChan, bids will be opened this month on a $37.5 million scour retrofit project to protect piers of the Feather River Bridge between Yuba and Sutter counties, also known as the Tenth Street Bridge.

Four piers will be retrofitte­d to protect the structural integrity of the bridge, reduce existing critical scouring, and prevent future east scouring, according to Caltrans.

Rock slope protection­s will also be modified in certain locations to address potential levee scouring and ensure the lateral migration of the channel.

Work on the project is expected to be completed in 2023.

– In Wheatland, grant applicatio­ns have been submitted for two intersecti­on safety projects near Beale Air Force Bases, according to Peterson. The first would add turn lanes and realign the vertical curve of the road on Hammonton-smartsvill­e Road at Doolittle Drive and the second would widen the shoulders and overlays on the stretch of Hammonton-smartsvill­e Road from 2 miles east of Doolittle Drive to 5 miles east of Doolittle Drive.

Yuba County media and community relations coordinato­r Russ Brown, said the projects will be extremely helpful for getting in and out of Beale Air Force Base, once complete.

– With the design 95 percent complete, constructi­on is also scheduled to begin on the North Beale Road Complete Streets Phase II project, according to Peterson. That project will consist of replacing asphalt surfacing, placing asphalt concrete overlay, placing aggregate base shoulders, and placing traffic striping along Feather River Boulevard from Algodon Road to

Ella Avenue in Marysville.

– As part of the Safe Routes to School program, three projects on 11th Avenue, Mcgowen Parkway and Cedar Lane in Marysville are currently in the design phase in Yuba County, said Peterson. The project will consist of new sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drains and overlay.

“These are extremely important to protecting children and others using those roads,” said Brown. “The funding brings more sidewalks, bike lanes, crossings and more into play, to increase overall safety.”

Constructi­on on 11th Avenue will begin later this year while the other two projects are scheduled to begin constructi­on in 2022.

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