California Department of Transportation officials, along with the Colusa County Chamber of Commerce, state, county, and local representatives gathered Monday to celebrate the completion of the Highway 20/Colusa Bridge Street project.
The $19 million project replaced the old pavement to bring the roadway cross slopes to current highway standards.
The project provides better access for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, officials said.
The project was made possible through Senate Bill 1, which provides $5 billion in transportation funding, annually split between the state and local agencies, based on population.
” Were excited to complete another SB 1 project that fixes our aging roadways and improves safety, mobility and access for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. ” Through SB 1, we continue to make thousands of transportation improvements in the state.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, local and state officials hailed the project along a mile-long stretch of State Route 20/Bridge Street, between Butte Vista Drive and Market Street.
More than 8,000 vehicles and approximately 500 trucks per day use this segment of SR-20, which travels through the citys main business corridors.
” State Route 20 is an important artery and economic link in the region,” Caltrans District 3 Director Amarjeet S. Benipal said. ” It was vital that we improve this highway for local residents, tourists and commercial and agricultural operators.
The project replaced the segment of highway that was constructed in the 1950s.
The project, which began with the environmental clearance in October of 2016, was four years in the making.
The highway project included widening the travel lanes and converting existing surface drainage into an underground system to improve drainage. The project also included the replacement of PG&E gas lines and removing the overhead power lines, replacing them with new underground power lines. The City of Colusa replaced the water lines as part of the overall project.
The state also removed the trees along Bridge Street and replanted dozens of new trees, mostly Crepe Myrtle, a few Chinese Pistachio, and other varieties.
Elected representatives Sen. Jim Nielsen, Assemblyman James Gallager, Colusa County Supervisors Denise Carter and Daurice Kalfsbeek, and Colusa Mayor Pro-tem Tom Reishe also attended the ceremony. –