District: District 3 - Marysville
Contact: Steven Nelson
Phone: (530) 701-9459
Snow has put on a damper on progress for the $53.6 million U.S. Highway 50 Camino Safety Project.
Work on the south side of the new Pondorado Undercrossing continues. but the deck concrete pour scheduled for Thursday was postponed due to weather. With more rain and snow in the forecast for next week, the work will likely be pushed back again. Both abutments on the south side of the bridge have been completed. Work on the north side of the bridge was completed earlier this year.
Repairs are ongoing for sections of the concrete median barrier that didn’t meet specifications. Work to complete the approaches and drainage for the wildlife undercrossing is tentatively suspended until next spring. The intersection at Camino Heights Drive has been reopened to left-turn movements around the clock but will continue to be monitored for safety. Several barrels and portable signs have been removed to make it easier for Caltrans’ snow removal equipment to operate. Temporary striping has been refreshed.
This safety project consists of installing a continuous 56-inch high concrete median barrier on a three-mile stretch of Highway 50 from Still Meadows Road to upper Carson Road that will restrict left-turn movements at all at-grade intersections. The undercrossing is being built to provide access north and south of the highway.
The wildlife undercrossing was constructed in September as another safety improvement to reduce animal collisions through the corridor. Water-line replacement work is ongoing, with the first El Dorado Irrigation District water line expected to be completed by mid-January 2022.
Construction started in July 2020. The undercrossing is expected to be open to traffic in August of next year, and full project completion is expected by the end of 2022. Caltrans is partnering with the El Dorado County Department of Transportation on the project, with the county providing $7.3 million in funding for local road improvements.
Caltrans reminds motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert” and slow down in construction zones for the safety of travelers and work crews. Weather or unexpected events may delay or prolong the work. The department will issue updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook @CaltransDistrict3.
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