A Smooth Road Ahead

Sonora, CA — Caltrans has allocated $334 million for transportation projects in the state and Tuolumne County will be getting a piece of the pie.  The new funding will go towards 53 California Transportation Commission projects.

Tuolumne County is slated to receive $1,213,000. That money will fund a Highway 108 Slope Protection Project. Crews will place rock slope protection from the Old Wards Ferry Road Overcrossing to Twain Hart/Plainview Road.  The work will stabilize roadway slopes; prevent discharge of sediments and pollutants into Sullivan Creek. Caltrans says that will make the area compliant with storm water management regulations.

“To get the most bang for the buck for taxpayers, Caltrans targets dollars where they are most effective – pavement preservation,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Every $1 spent on preventive pavement maintenance saves Californians $11 that would have been spent on future pavement repairs.”

$165 million will be spent to upgrade bridges, repair rough pavement and keep pavement in good condition from deteriorating across the state.  Currently, Caltrans reports 84 percent, of California highways are in good operating condition.  The goal is to reach 90 percent by 2023.

One additional note, Caltrans says crews repaired 76,808 potholes on 50,000 highway lane miles in 2013. That was down nearly 100,000 potholes from a few years ago.  Caltrans attributes the drop to crews repaving efforts.