State Route 180 Two-Way Left-Turn Channelization
Project Description
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposes to widen the south side of State Route 180 by 15 feet and install a two-way left-turn lane in the center of the roadway. The project lies in Squaw Valley in Fresno County between the Mountain Valley Community Church and Elwood Road. Other work would include upgrading drainage systems through the project limits, repaving existing driveway connections to the southern side of State Route 180, and installing a traffic monitoring station system. Oak tree and vegetation removal would be required, and construction would occur at night. The project would occur within the existing right-of-way.
Project Benefits
Purpose
The purpose of the project is to improve safety and reduce collisions on State Route 180 in Squaw Valley.
Need
The project is needed to reduce the exposure of vehicles that are waiting to make left turns from State Route 180 and to provide refuge for vehicles that are turning onto State Route 180.
Traffic Investigation Report 184-0001O revealed there were 12 collisions within the project study limits between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017. Of the 12, two were rear-end collisions attributed to speeding, five were broadside collisions attributed to the failure to yield, speeding, and other violations, two collisions involved vehicles hitting an object, which were attributed to speeding and other violations, one overturn collision was attributed to speeding, and two other collisions were attributed to reasons other than the driver. Four collisions resulted in injuries, and one resulted in a fatality. The fatal collision occurred when a vehicle traveling southbound made a left turn onto eastbound State Route 180 and was struck by a motorcycle traveling on westbound State Route 180. The motorcyclist was killed because the driver of the vehicle entering the highway failed to yield to traffic. The incident occurred during the day with clear weather conditions and a dry roadway surface.
The collision rates for the most recent three-year period (January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019) for this section of State Route 180 are shown in Table 1 below: In Table 1, total collisions mean the total number of collisions that did not result in injuries or fatalities.
Table 1 Collision Rates in Collisions per Million Vehicles on State Route 180 from Post Mile 89.6 to Post Mile 90.7.
Source: Draft Project Report, 2022
| State Route 180 (Post Mile 89.6 to Post Mile 90.7) | Fatal | Fatal and Injury | Total Collisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actual (Collisions per Million Vehicles) | 0.198 | 0.79 | 1.38 |
| Statewide Average (Collisions per Million Vehicles) | 0.024 | 0.45 | 0.98 |
The actual fatal, fatal and injury, and total collision rates for similar roadways with comparable traffic volumes are higher than the statewide average. The performance objective of this project is to reduce the severity and number of collisions for the life of the project. The project would achieve this objective by reducing 20 collisions over the next 20 years.
The proposed two-way left-turn lane would be a continuous turn lane located in the central business corridor of Squaw Valley that would create a refuge lane for vehicles and reduce the number of conflict points for potential collisions.
Rear-end collisions would be reduced because turning vehicles would use the two-way left-turn lane to get out of the way of through traffic. The area where the two-way left-turn lane is proposed has many establishments along State Route 180 that are accessed by the driveway. Currently, when motorists on State Route 180 need to make a left turn to enter the driveway of their destination, they may have to wait in the through lane for oncoming traffic to clear before proceeding to make their left turn. While waiting for oncoming traffic to clear, these motorists may be susceptible to rear-end collisions from motorists approaching from behind. The two-way left-turn lane is intended to provide a lane that separates left-turning vehicles from vehicles traveling on the through lane, thus eliminating the potential for same-direction traffic conflicts.
The potential for broadside collisions would be reduced because the two-way left-turn lane would provide a refuge lane that motorists can enter when turning left onto State Route 180 from a driveway. Motorists using the two-way left-turn lane as a refuge lane would not need to wait for a gap in traffic from both directions but would only need to wait for a gap from their left direction before entering the two-way left-turn lane. Left-turning motorists would also be able to use the two-way left-turn lane to accelerate before entering their destination lane.
Speeding collisions would be reduced because the two-way left-turn lane is expected to enhance the potential for through motorists to have a clear path on State Route 180 where the two-way left-turn lane would be located due to the separation of slower, left-turning vehicles from through traffic.
Estimated Funding Breakdown
| Funding Source | Funding Amount |
|---|---|
| Local | Not Applicable |
| State | $270,000 |
| Federal | $2,430,000 |
| Construction Cost | $2,700,000 |
Partnerships
- Not Applicable
Proposed Project Schedule
| Process | Date |
|---|---|
| Final environmental document to be completed | Fall 2022 |
| Right-of-way acquisition to be completed | Summer 2023 |
| Design to be completed | Summer 2023 |
| Advertise | Fall 2023 |
| Construction to begin | Winter 2023 |
| Construction to be completed | Fall 2024 |
Project Contact
Ellery Ellis, Project Manager
Phone: (559) 908-7321
Email: ellery.ellis@dot.ca.gov
Trais Norris, Senior Environmental Planner
Phone: (209) 601-3521
Email: trais.norris@dot.ca.gov
District 6 Public Information Office
Phone: (559) 488-4067
Email: d6.public.info@dot.ca.gov
Documents
Accessibility Assistance: Caltrans makes every attempt to ensure our documents are accessible. Due to variances between assistive technologies, there may be portions of this document which are not accessible. Where documents cannot be made accessible, we are committed to providing alternative access to the content. Should you need additional assistance, please contact us at (916) 654-2852 or visit https://dot.ca.gov/request-ada-compliant-documents.
- Initial Study with Mitigated Negative Declaration - FINAL - September 2022 (PDF 7.2MB)
Title VI Information
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assures that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and Federal Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations).
Caltrans will make every effort to ensure nondiscrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether they are federally funded or not, and that services and benefits are fairly distributed to all people, regardless of race, color, or national origin. In addition, Caltrans will facilitate meaningful participation in the transportation planning process in a nondiscriminatory manner.
- Title VI Brochure (English, PDF)
- Title VI Brochure (Spanish, PDF)
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Caltrans Information)