Tuolumne County – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is preparing to begin construction to stabilize an embankment along State Route 120, east of Groveland.
The work is imperative to ensure the safety of the traveling public and to prevent catastrophic embankment failure that could close the highway.
Construction is scheduled to begin the week of April 15, with completion expected in June. However, work by Caltrans maintenance has been ongoing since the slide began during a rainstorm in February. Crews cleared the shoulder and roadway of mud and debris from the slide and installed K-rail (concrete barriers) to stop the progress of the slide. Since March, crews have been monitoring the slide and using an excavator to remove loose and hazardous material.
Construction will involve continuing to remove loose earth, replacing the K-rail with large boulders, and installing a water collection system along the top of the embankment that will divert water away from the fractured slide bank.
Work is scheduled to occur Mondays through Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Fridays from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., with one-way traffic control on SR-120 between Sweetwater Campground and Sawmill Mountain Road. Motorists should be prepared for 10-to-15-minute delays.
Caltrans will have changeable message signs alerting motorists of the lane closures and potential delays. Schedules are subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment and/or materials and other construction related issues.
This estimated $1.489 million Director’s Order emergency repair project will be performed by George Reed, Inc. of Modesto, CA.
For more information about transportation and other infrastructure projects funded with state and federal investments, visit RebuildingCA.ca.gov.
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