Caltrans pushes back start of bypass extension work

Caltrans released an updated schedule for the second stage of the East Sonora Highway 108 Bypass project Thursday.

Despite a down economy that has cut down on state tax revenue and cramped the state’s ability to borrow, the $65.9 million project is still on track, officials said. But the project will be several months behind the original schedule.

Plans initially called for the project to start next spring, and be finished in the spring of 2012. Now, the project will start in December 2010 and be finished in December 2012.
 

One of the main goals of the project is to reduce traffic congestion along Mono Way, which doubles as Highway 108 in the East Sonora area.

Stage two of the bypass project will involve the construction of a two-lane expressway from a quarter-mile west of Peaceful Oak Road to Via Este. The job will also include an interchange at Peaceful Oak Road, a grade separation at Mono Way/Highway 108 and a temporary “T” intersection connecting Mono Way to the new expressway.

A frontage road connecting the existing Highway 108 with Seaborn Road and Waif Mine Road will also be constructed

Stage three of the project, set for years down the road, would complete construction of the two-lane expressway on the new alignment to the existing four-lane section of Highway 108 near Sunshine Road west of Soulsbyville.

The first stage of the bypass — from the Sanguinetti Road overpass to just west of Peaceful Oak Road — was completed in 2002, according to Caltrans.

Original plans for phase two of the project had to be scaled down after it became apparent that the project was set to run $10 million over Caltrans’ budget for the project.

So in the fall of 2008, the Tuolumne County Transportation Council, a city-county body that, along with Caltrans, is overseeing the construction, voted to downscale the work.   

Cuts included eliminating a westbound off-ramp at Peaceful Oaks and Standard roads and an eastbound on-ramp at Standard Road. Other corrective actions are also being considered.

Funding for the bypass work comes by way of Proposition 1B, a $20 billion statewide infrastructure bond voters approved in November 2006.