District: District 3 - Marysville
Contact: Steve Nelson
Phone: (530) 741-4566; (530) 701-9459
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EL DORADO COUNTY – Work is scheduled to resume on the U.S. Highway 50 Echo Summit Sidehill Viaduct Replacement Project next week, Caltrans announced today.
Construction on this $14.1 million project will begin again starting Wednesday, Sept. 9. Motorists should expect one-way traffic control from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon Friday next week, with delays up to 20 minutes.
Continuous one-way traffic control is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 to demolish the existing structure. A full closure of Highway 50 is set to begin the morning of Friday, Sept. 18 for up to two weeks to install seven precast, prestressed 96-foot bridge girders and associated work. Weather or other unexpected delays may prolong the closure beyond Friday, Oct. 2.
This project is replacing the existing bridge, which was built in 1939, with one that meets current seismic and safety standards. It includes $5.2 million in funding from Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. This legislative package invests $54 billion over the next decade to fix roads, freeways and bridges in communities across California and puts more dollars toward transit and safety.
Construction on this project started in May 2019 and is expected to be completed by December 2020.
Requests for permits for regular/daily commuters over Echo Summit to use Johnson Pass Road as a detour around the work site during the closure can be submitted online at JPR Pass.
Caltrans staff will be on hand at its Meyers Maintenance Station, 2243 Cornelian Drive, Monday through Friday, Sept. 14-18 from 9 a.m.to 6:30 p.m.to issue passes in person for daily commuters to use Johnson Pass Road. Caltrans staff also will be at the El Dorado County Government Center, 2850 Fairline Court in Placerville, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 14-15 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to issue passes. Proof of residency or business purposes will be required to receive a pass.
A signed detour route will be available using State Highways 89, 88, 49 and 16. The detour adds about 35 miles (45 minutes) each way from Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe. More information on the detour is available here: Detour Information
Travelers are advised that there are minimal services available and limited mobile phone access along the high elevations of the detour route. Motorists are advised to have a full tank of gas and to carry extra food, water and clothing. For maps and visitor information, visit the Amador County Visitors Bureau at Visit Amador or the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, Alpine County
For more information on the project, visit Way2Tahoe on Twitter @way2Tahoe or on Facebook/Way2Tahoe.
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