Mountain Ranch Road To Get Improvements

San Andreas, CA — Calaveras County officials have secured $1.2 million dollars in state grants for safety improvements to Mountain Ranch Road.

The 10-mile road connects the towns of San Andreas and Mountain Ranch. There have been seven fatalities on the road in the last five years.

Public Works Director Rob Houghton says the money is coming from the Caltrans Local Assistance High Risk Rural Roads Grant Program.

Two improvement projects are in the works.

The first is to create an uphill passing lane near lower Michel Road. Currently there are no opportunities to pass along the road. Construction should begin in spring of 2008 and be complete in the fall of 2008.

The next project is the installation of two message boards in either direction warning drivers of an approaching 1.1-mile stretch of S-turns. The signs will be placed near Rocky Road, then near lower Michel Road. Construction for this project also will begin in the spring of 2008 and will be completed sometime that June.

Written by Vanessa Turner.