Project Description
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposes to rehabilitate the pavement on State Route 243 (SR-243), from 0.75 mile south of Forest Service Road to 0.5 mile south of Wilson Street, Post Mile (PM) 0.0 to Post Mile 29.7, in Riverside County. The project proposes to cold-plane (i.e. remove existing pavement) and overlay travel lanes and shoulders with Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt Type G (RHMA-G), from PM 0.0 to PM 13.0, to obtain a design life of five (5) to ten (10) years. A 0.20-foot RHMA-G overlay would be placed on the existing travel lanes and shoulders. From PM 0.0 to PM 29.7, the existing Metal Beam Guard Rail (MBGR) would be upgraded to a Midwest Guardrail System (MGS). Sign panels, lighting, and curb ramps would be upgraded to current standards. Roadside safety improvements include constructing maintenance vehicle pullouts (MVPs) and paving under existing guardrail to reduce maintenance requirements (i.e. weed abatement). Culverts would be repaired or replaced as needed. All project improvements would be completed within Caltrans right of way.
Project Cost & Schedule
The project is currently in the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA&ED) stage. If approved, project construction is expected to start in 2025. This is a State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) project. The current estimated cost of the project is $19,975,000.
An Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS-MND) has been prepared for the project and is circulating for public review and comment between February 18, 2022 and March 21, 2022. Copies of the environmental document can be obtained by emailing the project email: D8.1J450.Comments@dot.ca.gov or by calling Antonia Toledo, Senior Environmental Planner, at (909) 501-5741.