$2.2B OK'd to fix Highway 70 next spring

The California Transportation Commission has allocated $2.2 billion in new funding, including $41.5 million for a long-awaited, long-term road rehabilitation project planned for Yuba County.

Drainage and electrical work is expected to begin in the spring with primary road construction to start a year later.

Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond, is the source for much of the funding, which has been allotted for the repaving of 17 lane miles of Highway 70.

"It's great news for us," said Mark Dinger, spokesman for Caltrans District 3 of the funding. "This keeps the ball rolling."

The first phase of local construction will begin on E Street at Sixth Street in Marysville and work its way north.

Detour routes have not been determined, according to Dinger.

"But there are going to be detours, and they're going to be long-term detours," he said.

Caltrans held an open-house meeting in April at the District 3 headquarters on B Street for feedback on detour route proposals.

Work is expected to include the use of upgraded materials and a design known as continually reinforced concrete. The design has only been used thus far in select cities, including San Diego and Sacramento.

The method applies deep layers of concrete with steel for reinforcement. Such paving work is expected to last 20-40 years, and should be completed in 2014.

Caltrans will put the project out to bid next month and an award is expected to be announced in mid-January, Dinger said.

Other projects in the region that fall under the recent funding allocation include a $3.4 million plan in Chico along Highway 32, $7 million for a project on Highway 80 in Sacramento County and a $7.5 million for improvements to Highway 113 from Davis to Woodland in Yolo County.

CONTACT reporter Nancy Pasternack at 749-4781.