$18.7 million project to replace Yokohl Creek Bridge and Kaweah River Bridge on Hwy 245 south of Woodlake
SACRAMENTO — Two bridges along Highway 245 south of Woodlake will be replaced and widened to make way for bike lanes. Caltrans announced on Oct. 20 that it will fund the replacement of the Yokohl Creek Bridge and the Kaweah River Bridge on Highway 245. The $18.7 million project will also include shoulder widening on the new bridges for bike lanes.
The bridge replacements were among a dozen multi-million dollar improvements that Caltrans added to a growing list of projects that will be funded through the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB 1), the transportation funding and reform package passed in April.
“Years of unfunded maintenance needs have plagued our roadways, so Caltrans is expediting projects with the expectation of SB 1 funds coming in November,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “We are lining up projects that are going to deliver real results for all users of the state transportation system.”
This latest approval of 90 major “fix-it-first” transportation projects, worth nearly $3.4 billion, are part of a list Caltrans submitted to the California Transportation Commission (Commission) that was voted on at the Commission’s October meeting.
Improvements to be made by these projects include improving or replacing 66 bridges; rehabilitating nearly 1,200 lane miles of pavement on highways across the state; repairing more than 300 culverts and drainage systems; and installing nearly 2,400 elements that are part of traffic management systems that help manage traffic and reduce congestion.
The projects authorized last week come on the heels of more than $285 million in accelerated existing highway repair projects announced earlier in July, and nearly $901 million in “fix-it-first” projects in August.
SB 1 provides an ongoing funding increase of approximately $1.8 billion annually for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the state highway system, including $400 million specifically for bridges and culverts. SB 1 funds will enable Caltrans to fix more than 17,000 lane miles of pavement, 500 bridges and 55,000 culverts by 2027. Caltrans will also fix 7,700 traffic operating systems, like ramp meters, traffic cameras and electric highway message boards that help reduce highway congestion.
Caltrans is committed to conducting its business in a fully transparent manner and detailing its progress to the public. For complete details on SB 1, visit www.rebuildingca.ca.gov.
