Caltrans: Highway 50 Revamp to Start 2 Weeks Early
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Commuters beware! The project to upgrade the Highway 50 Viaduct is beginning two weeks early, Caltrans announced Thursday.
Construction will now begin on April 22, Caltrans officials say.
However, along with the new start, officials are saying that at least two lanes on whichever side is being worked on will be kept open. The original plans called for closing one side of the freeway at a time.
"We listened to hundreds of local community groups, public officials and law enforcement and incorporated the community's best recommendations into this new plan for the Fix50 project," said Caltrans District 3 Director Jody Jones in a release.
Expect fewer ramp closures as well.
Still, commuters should expect to run into a lot of congestion during construction – which will last through June 25 according to Caltrans.
The project, called Fix 50, aims to improve the section of Highway 50 known as the W/X Viaduct. The structure was originally built in 1968 and is in desperate need of rehabilitation, like with seismic strengthening and crack repair.