If you notice some activity next week around the row of eucalyptus trees that has stood sentry along the banks of Humboldt Bay for nearly a century, that’s because they’re getting another “overall health and safety” assessment, according to Caltrans. In a Facebook post, the agency says the southbound shoulder of U.S. Highway 101 by […]
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UPDATE: Construction Starts on a One-Way Future for Fairfield
A project to help address the slog that is driving through intersections along U.S. Highway 101 in Eureka begins today. Caltrans is starting work on Fairfield Street at Wabash Avenue, meaning Fairfield will be closed for the next four to six weeks, according to the agency. When construction is complete, the street will be one-way […]
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Watch Out for Wandering Wildlife in the Roadways
Wildlife is on the move this time of year, which means drivers need to be even more cautious while traveling the region’s rural roads and highways. According to a joint release from Caltrans and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, vehicle-wildlife collisions “typically peak” this time of year, when animals are migrating to their […]
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‘Ground Zero:’ Coastal Commission Approves Safety Corridor Project, Worries Sea Level Rise May Leave it Under Water
While Caltrans’ project on the 6-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 that connects Eureka and Arcata is aimed at improving safety for motorists, the agency got an earful Aug. 7 from California Coastal Commissioners who felt it is ignoring a potentially far more dangerous threat: sea level rise. “This is ground zero,” said Chair Dayna […]
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State Route 36 Blocked by Tree, Pole
State Route 36 closed this morning near Pepperwood Falls east of Swain’s Flat Outpost after a tree fell into utility lines and brought them down across the roadway. The first report came in about 7:40 a.m. Myles Cochrane, spokesperson for Caltrans told Redheaded Blackbelt just before 9 a.m., that the roadway is closed at mile […]
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Clearing Overturned Semi Will Close 101 for About an Hour
UPDATE: Caltrans is readying to shutdown U.S. Highway 101 for about an hour today, starting just after 3 p.m., to clear away a semi that crashed off the road near Big Lagoon. The accident occurred around noon, leading to controlled traffic in the area, but the closure will be necessary for get the large “rig […]
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UPDATE: One-Way Traffic in Effect After 299 Slide
UPDATE: One-way traffic is in effect due to the slide. Motorists should expect 30-45 minute delays until 6 p.m. PREVIOUS: A slide has closed State Route 299 between mile markers 29.09 and 33.21 west of the junction with State Route 96 and Willow Creek. Caltrans District 1 reports, “There is no estimated time for reopening. […]
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UPDATE: Coastal Commission Asks Staff to Postpone Safety Corridor Hearing to Allow Local Input
UPDATE: On the heels of the California Coastal Commission’s request to staff to delay a hearing on Caltrans’ U.S. Highway 101 Safety Corridor improvement plan, Caltrans released a statement this afternoon indicating it hopes delaying the hearing by two months will not impact its construction timeline. “If the Commission were to delay their meeting on […]
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State Approves $40 Million for Environmental Studies at Last Chance Grade
The California Transportation Commission has agreed to provide $40 million in funding to complete environmental studies of the Last Chance Grade project, North Coast State Sen. Mike McGuire announced this morning. “We all made a commitment four years ago to get the job done with the Last Chance Grade and today’s vote moves the project […]
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101 Opened After Slide South of Crescent City
U.S. Highway 101 between Klamath and Crescent City has reopened after a slide closed it last night about 8:50 p.m. Caltrans District One tweeted almost exactly 12 hours later at 8:50 a.m., “US 101 OPEN, One-Way…Expect 15-20 minute delays.” Crews worked through the night and early morning hours to get the road re-opened after the […]
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Big Changes Considered for 101 Through Eureka
Few people drive through Eureka for the fun of it. If you approach the town from the north during the morning commute, you’re often greeted by a long line of stalled traffic waiting to get through the intersection at V and Fourth streets. On a bad day, the back-up may begin out on the freeway. […]
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New Funding Sought for Last Chance Grade
More funding could be coming to the help fix the 3-mile-long stretch of U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County known as Last Chance Grade in the race to ward off the billion dollar economic loss a catastrophic failure could cost. Connecting California’s northern coastal reaches to the rest of the state, the roadway is […]