By Barry Eberling | DAILY REPUBLIC | June 06, 2008
FAIRFIELD - Solano County's summer of transportation projects has arrived.
So has the county's summer of patience, especially for those who drive at night.
Numerous long-awaited road projects have started or will soon start. Orange-vested workers will be adding carpool lanes to Interstate 80 in Fairfield, repairing I-80 pavement in Vallejo and Vacaville, and building a Highway 12 truck climbing lane in Jameson Canyon.
If all goes well, they might even be smoothing out Highway 12 hills near Rio Vista
The county at times might look like a big Cone Zone. The K-rail -- the temporary, white concrete barriers that separate workers and traffic -- will be ubiquitous.
Along with the construction frenzy, the Solano Transportation Authority and state Department of Transportation are launching a public relations offensive. They will strive to get the word out with open houses, Web sites and information sheets.
'There will be quite a bit of noise and dirt flying and rerouting at times and detours occasionally,' said Jayne Bauer, STA marketing and legislative program manager. 'We need to be sure we let people know in advance and where to go for the latest information.'
Those who can't get from Point A to Point B as easily as they would like can keep one thing in mind.
'It's going to make it better for them,' Bauer said. 'Hopefully, that will help alleviate their concerns during their inconvenience, that the outcome will be a good thing.'
Interstate 80 repaving
Aging cement freeway slabs in the Fairfield and Vacaville areas long ago started giving way, sinking several inches in some spots. That, in turn, has led to a patchwork of repair jobs. The effect for motorists can be similar to driving on a rutted dirt road at high speeds.
Caltrans will spend $125 million to repave 27 miles of pavement. The work has already started on a stretch of freeway in Vallejo from Tennessee Street to American Canyon Road and is to finish by the end of November.
Repaving work is also under way from Air Base Parkway in Fairfield to Leisure Town Road in Vacaville and will also be done from American Canyon Road to Green Valley Creek. Both of those projects are to be finished by fall 2009.
The central Fairfield stretch from Highway 12 near Abernathy Road to Air Base Parkway is to begin in July 2009 and take about a year.
Most of the work is to be done between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Caltrans could close various lanes and ramps. In some cases, there might be detours to frontage roads.
Carpool lanes
Solano County is getting its first I-80 carpool lanes from Red Top Road to Air Base Parkway, a distance of 8.7 miles. A lane will be added in each direction, and the cost of the additions is $26 million.
See the complete story at The Daily Republic Online.
