California 70 Marysville Improvements

[TheStranger]

https://fox40.com/2017/11/20/no-easy-solution-for-deadly-stretch-of-highway-70/

http://www.kkcy.com/2018/03/27/keep-70-safe-committee-wants-a-marysville-bypass-not-a-wider-highway/

[fungus]

I was playing around Google and noticed that while at the southern SR-99/70 split, traffic to Chico is directed via SR 99, there is no direction on a suggested route given at the SR-99/149 split. Is that the case, and which one is actually preferred? They look like the same travel time, at least in the middle of the night, but the SR-99 route is shorter (because 149/70 have more controlled access segments?)

[TheStranger]

I was playing around Google and noticed that while at the southern SR-99/70 split, traffic to Chico is directed via SR 99, there is no direction on a suggested route given at the SR-99/149 split. Is that the case, and which one is actually preferred? They look like the same travel time, at least in the middle of the night, but the SR-99 route is shorter (because 149/70 have more controlled access segments?)

Looking at Google Maps (it's been 12 years since I've been in this area), the ramp split at 99/149 mentions Yuba City for 99 and 149/70 for Oroville/Yuba City, with Sacramento not mentioned on either sign:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6254149,-121.6972539,3a,75y,159.79h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4qfNWIR__U2WrhVt9m1DpQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've read in past threads that 70/149 is becoming the preferred corridor due to upgrade projects being halted entirely on the 99 side (namely bypasses of Live Oak and Gridley) but it doesn't seem like there's been much done along 70 between Marysville and Oroville.

On the other hand, 70 south of Route 65 to 99 in Catlett has been four-laned and is mostly freeway now, and more of 99 north of Elkhorn Boulevard is now freeway.  IIRC only one stoplight remains on 99 between I-5 in Natomas and southern Yuba City.

[sparker]

I was playing around Google and noticed that while at the southern SR-99/70 split, traffic to Chico is directed via SR 99, there is no direction on a suggested route given at the SR-99/149 split. Is that the case, and which one is actually preferred? They look like the same travel time, at least in the middle of the night, but the SR-99 route is shorter (because 149/70 have more controlled access segments?)

Looking at Google Maps (it's been 12 years since I've been in this area), the ramp split at 99/149 mentions Yuba City for 99 and 149/70 for Oroville/Yuba City, with Sacramento not mentioned on either sign:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6254149,-121.6972539,3a,75y,159.79h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4qfNWIR__U2WrhVt9m1DpQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've read in past threads that 70/149 is becoming the preferred corridor due to upgrade projects being halted entirely on the 99 side (namely bypasses of Live Oak and Gridley) but it doesn't seem like there's been much done along 70 between Marysville and Oroville.

On the other hand, 70 south of Route 65 to 99 in Catlett has been four-laned and is mostly freeway now, and more of 99 north of Elkhorn Boulevard is now freeway.  IIRC only one stoplight remains on 99 between I-5 in Natomas and southern Yuba City.

The original plan was for a continuous east side expressway comprising of:  CA 99 north from the I-5 split near Sacramento Airport, CA 70 from the Nicolaus split with CA 99, the long-sought CA 70 Marysville bypass and continuing along CA 70 around Oroville to CA 149, all of 149 back to CA 99, then CA 99 north through Chico to about Los Molinos, where a projected freeway alignment would cross the Sacramento River and continue NW to merge with I-5 near Proberta.  That last section was deleted from the freeway and expressway system somewhere in the '90's (I'm guessing in the '94 batch of deletions and relinquishments); with that gone, the whole "east valley" corridor seemed to be relegated to Caltrans' back burner -- partially due to the inability to cobble up a Marysville bypass that would please both that city and D3's budgetary issues.  Not that it's a permanent nail in that particular coffin, but the decision to widen CA 70 north of Marysville to a 5-lane facility in situ rather than a controlled-access highway is a bit ominous re the corridor's near-term prospects.  In light of that -- and the seemingly perpetual delays regarding Marysville itself -- it's surprising that even though CA 99 still passes through Gridley and Live Oak, the sign at the 99/149 split doesn't cite Sacramento on the 99 ramp, even though there's ample room on the BGS to do so.

[splashflash]

https://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/new-bridge-opens-on-highway-70/article_5ec5c428-f5b9-11ed-a1a5-f7056ff88e97.html

New bridge opens on Highway 70
Appeal Staff Report May 18, 2023 Comments
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Copy article link
Save
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) said Wednesday that traffic has shifted onto the newly constructed Honcut Creek Bridge on State Highway 70 at Laurellen Road and the Yuba County and Butte County line.

"Motorists should be alert to construction crews rehabilitating the pavement and existing bridge deck east of the new structure between Lower Honcut Road in Butte County and Old State Highway in Yuba County,"  officials said.

Caltrans said the roadway is the final construction phase of a $63.3-million Butte County project to construct the new bridge and passing lanes between East Gridley Road and the Yuba County and Butte County line. Officials expect it to be completed sometime this summer.

[splashflash]

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/district-3/images/2023-news/mapofhw70_projectlimits.jpg?h=815&w=300&hash=26700B413E04245BFDCBA8C691138B79


Butte County –Caltrans and local officials announced today the completion of the State Route 70 (SR-70) Corridor Improvement and Bridge Project in Southern Butte County, a $63.3 million project made possible with $41.6 million in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as well as $10.4 million in local and $11.8 million in California state funding.

The project features new lanes, a center two-way left turn lane, and a new bridge over Honcut Creek at the Butte-Yuba County line. Other improvements included widening the shoulders to eight feet, upgrading drainage systems, and establishing a clear recovery zone, which is an area for vehicles to pull off the roadway if needed and safely return to the highway.

SR-70 is a major economic corridor in Butte County, connecting commuters and commercial freight operations between the Oroville-Chico areas and the Sacramento region. Approximately 17,000 vehicles and approximately 900 trucks per day use this segment of the highway on average.

[splashflash]

I was playing around Google and noticed that while at the southern SR-99/70 split, traffic to Chico is directed via SR 99, there is no direction on a suggested route given at the SR-99/149 split. Is that the case, and which one is actually preferred? They look like the same travel time, at least in the middle of the night, but the SR-99 route is shorter (because 149/70 have more controlled access segments?)

Looking at Google Maps (it's been 12 years since I've been in this area), the ramp split at 99/149 mentions Yuba City for 99 and 149/70 for Oroville/Yuba City, with Sacramento not mentioned on either sign:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6254149,-121.6972539,3a,75y,159.79h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4qfNWIR__U2WrhVt9m1DpQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I've read in past threads that 70/149 is becoming the preferred corridor due to upgrade projects being halted entirely on the 99 side (namely bypasses of Live Oak and Gridley) but it doesn't seem like there's been much done along 70 between Marysville and Oroville.

On the other hand, 70 south of Route 65 to 99 in Catlett has been four-laned and is mostly freeway now, and more of 99 north of Elkhorn Boulevard is now freeway.  IIRC only one stoplight remains on 99 between I-5 in Natomas and southern Yuba City.

The original plan was for a continuous east side expressway comprising of:  CA 99 north from the I-5 split near Sacramento Airport, CA 70 from the Nicolaus split with CA 99, the long-sought CA 70 Marysville bypass and continuing along CA 70 around Oroville to CA 149, all of 149 back to CA 99, then CA 99 north through Chico to about Los Molinos, where a projected freeway alignment would cross the Sacramento River and continue NW to merge with I-5 near Proberta.  That last section was deleted from the freeway and expressway system somewhere in the '90's (I'm guessing in the '94 batch of deletions and relinquishments); with that gone, the whole "east valley" corridor seemed to be relegated to Caltrans' back burner -- partially due to the inability to cobble up a Marysville bypass that would please both that city and D3's budgetary issues.  Not that it's a permanent nail in that particular coffin, but the decision to widen CA 70 north of Marysville to a 5-lane facility in situ rather than a controlled-access highway is a bit ominous re the corridor's near-term prospects.  In light of that -- and the seemingly perpetual delays regarding Marysville itself -- it's surprising that even though CA 99 still passes through Gridley and Live Oak, the sign at the 99/149 split doesn't cite Sacramento on the 99 ramp, even though there's ample room on the BGS to do so.

The 5 lane segment north of the new bridge has all been repaved.  Two days ago traffic barricades limited the use to the western two lanes, but traffic was pretty light.  This will probably be the last work to be done for a while.

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/district-3/images/2023-news/honcut_creekbridge.jpg?h=238&w=400&hash=150F201FB24769D605B10B853CA7ACC5

https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/district-3/images/2023-news/newpassinglane.jpg?h=230&w=500&hash=326C6E0CACEB2968C2FB9355F7B763F7

“Today, we celebrate the many years of hard work by the countless individuals in the county and at Caltrans to complete the widening of the 12-mile segment of Highway 70 between Oroville and the Butte-Yuba County line.”

[cl94]

Now if they could close the gap in Yuba County. Hardest part to widen, I know, but 4 continuous lanes from Sacramento to Chico would be excellent.