Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Project

[US 395]

I'm doing my usual collection of headlines, and it looks like this project is complete (or essentially complete):

https://sierrawave.net/98907-2/

There are safer travels ahead on U.S. 395 in the Owens Valley with the end of major construction on the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project. This project constructed 12.5 miles of new pavement, replacing the previous two-lane highway with a split 4-lane expressway designed to eliminate cross-centerline crashes. This is the final stretch of U.S. 395 to be converted into a 4-lane expressway in most of Inyo County.

"The Olancha Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project underscores Caltrans' safety and people-first philosophy," said Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt. "Enhancing safety along this vital roadway improves the quality of life for residents of Olancha and Cartago and provides a better and more efficient travel experience for drivers."

The new lanes on U.S. 395 closed the gap between existing four-lane sections to the north and south. The upgraded facility will meet future transportation demands as vehicle and freight traffic through the region continues to increase.

[...]

On October 23, Caltrans hosted a ribbon cutting for the project, marking the end of major construction on the highway. The event featured speeches from Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt, Inyo District 5 Supervisor Will Wadelton, and Fisher Sand & Gravel Area Supervisor Robert Nelson. At the ceremony, a representative from Assemblyman David Tangipa's office presented Fitt with a certificate celebrating Caltrans's commitment to the people of Inyo County.

"The completion of the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project could not have been accomplished without decades of work from dedicated Caltrans employees and our partners in the region who worked with us to see it through to the end," said Fitt. "I am grateful for their continued commitment to safety."

Now to continue on the remaining two lane stretches of SR 14 and to see how much more can be done going up towards Reno

[pderocco]

I'm doing my usual collection of headlines, and it looks like this project is complete (or essentially complete):

https://sierrawave.net/98907-2/

There are safer travels ahead on U.S. 395 in the Owens Valley with the end of major construction on the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project. This project constructed 12.5 miles of new pavement, replacing the previous two-lane highway with a split 4-lane expressway designed to eliminate cross-centerline crashes. This is the final stretch of U.S. 395 to be converted into a 4-lane expressway in most of Inyo County.

"The Olancha Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project underscores Caltrans' safety and people-first philosophy," said Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt. "Enhancing safety along this vital roadway improves the quality of life for residents of Olancha and Cartago and provides a better and more efficient travel experience for drivers."

The new lanes on U.S. 395 closed the gap between existing four-lane sections to the north and south. The upgraded facility will meet future transportation demands as vehicle and freight traffic through the region continues to increase.

[...]

On October 23, Caltrans hosted a ribbon cutting for the project, marking the end of major construction on the highway. The event featured speeches from Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt, Inyo District 5 Supervisor Will Wadelton, and Fisher Sand & Gravel Area Supervisor Robert Nelson. At the ceremony, a representative from Assemblyman David Tangipa's office presented Fitt with a certificate celebrating Caltrans's commitment to the people of Inyo County.

"The completion of the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project could not have been accomplished without decades of work from dedicated Caltrans employees and our partners in the region who worked with us to see it through to the end," said Fitt. "I am grateful for their continued commitment to safety."

Now to continue on the remaining two lane stretches of SR 14 and to see how much more can be done going up towards Reno

14 is important, because that's where exhausted skiers returning to L.A. from Mammoth get into wrecks on Sunday night. Traffic north of Lee Vining is so sparse, I don't think they'll consider fourlaning that for decades.

But the real issue is US-395 south of Inyokern. That's almost 90 miles of getting stuck behind a truck. Maybe CalTrans doesn't care because much of the traffic is in fact trucks, who aren't always trying to pass each other.

[gonealookin]

Now...to see how much more can be done going up towards Reno

...Traffic north of Lee Vining is so sparse, I don't think they'll consider fourlaning that for decades.

Within the last couple years NDOT extended some previously-short passing lanes on US 395 between the south side of Gardnerville and SR 208.  AADT is a bit under 10,000 on that stretch.  I don't see NDOT adding any more lane-miles along there.

Southbound, a fair amount of US 395 traffic turns on to Nevada SR 208 (AADT around 3500), which leaves US 395 AADT around 5000 at the state line at Topaz Lake.  It's about 70 miles from Topaz Lake down to Lee Vining.  There are also a number of passing lanes on that segment, including through Walker Canyon, over Devils Gate Summit and several miles of four-lane over Conway Summit, plus other wide-open two-lane straight stretches.  I've driven US 395 down to and past Lee Vining many times over the years, and the only times I've felt slowed by traffic, it was related to construction that created long lines of traffic with the embedded slow trucks.  Like Nevada, California won't be spending money to add lanes there any time soon.

[ClassicHasClass]

But the real issue is US-395 south of Inyokern. That's almost 90 miles of getting stuck behind a truck. Maybe CalTrans doesn't care because much of the traffic is in fact trucks, who aren't always trying to pass each other.

Made worse by the damn no pass zone. Now people do 90 on the passing lane stretches to get past as many trucks as possible. I don't even go into Adelanto anymore when heading into the IE that way; I turn off and go through Helendale and pick up old 66 into Victorville.

[Voyager]

I'm doing my usual collection of headlines, and it looks like this project is complete (or essentially complete):

https://sierrawave.net/98907-2/

There are safer travels ahead on U.S. 395 in the Owens Valley with the end of major construction on the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project. This project constructed 12.5 miles of new pavement, replacing the previous two-lane highway with a split 4-lane expressway designed to eliminate cross-centerline crashes. This is the final stretch of U.S. 395 to be converted into a 4-lane expressway in most of Inyo County.

"The Olancha Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project underscores Caltrans' safety and people-first philosophy," said Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt. "Enhancing safety along this vital roadway improves the quality of life for residents of Olancha and Cartago and provides a better and more efficient travel experience for drivers."

The new lanes on U.S. 395 closed the gap between existing four-lane sections to the north and south. The upgraded facility will meet future transportation demands as vehicle and freight traffic through the region continues to increase.

[...]

On October 23, Caltrans hosted a ribbon cutting for the project, marking the end of major construction on the highway. The event featured speeches from Acting District 9 Director Brandon Fitt, Inyo District 5 Supervisor Will Wadelton, and Fisher Sand & Gravel Area Supervisor Robert Nelson. At the ceremony, a representative from Assemblyman David Tangipa's office presented Fitt with a certificate celebrating Caltrans's commitment to the people of Inyo County.

"The completion of the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Expressway Project could not have been accomplished without decades of work from dedicated Caltrans employees and our partners in the region who worked with us to see it through to the end," said Fitt. "I am grateful for their continued commitment to safety."

Now to continue on the remaining two lane stretches of SR 14 and to see how much more can be done going up towards Reno

14 is important, because that's where exhausted skiers returning to L.A. from Mammoth get into wrecks on Sunday night. Traffic north of Lee Vining is so sparse, I don't think they'll consider fourlaning that for decades.

But the real issue is US-395 south of Inyokern. That's almost 90 miles of getting stuck behind a truck. Maybe CalTrans doesn't care because much of the traffic is in fact trucks, who aren't always trying to pass each other.

I think Caltrans just expects the majority of traffic to use 14 and that's why its being expanded to 4 lanes the entire stretch as well currently.

[pderocco]

I think Caltrans just expects the majority of traffic to use 14 and that's why its being expanded to 4 lanes the entire stretch as well currently.

As of 2023, the AADTs for that stretch of 14 are almost the same as the AADTs for US-395 north of 58, and 14 has a slightly higher percentage of trucks. But perhaps 14 has a higher accident rate.

[lstone19]

Just drove 395 between Reno and Inyokern (and then 14) round-trip.

Comments:
For whatever reason, Caltrans still has a 55mph construction speed limit on the Olancha-Cartago bypass
To gonealookin's comment about traffic in the two-lane sections between Lee Vining and Gardnerville, we drove back north last night (a Saturday night) leaving Bishop around 8pm. I think I only ran up on one vehicle in the two-lane stretches, a box truck not able to maintain the speed limit on the climb to Devil's Gate pass and no one passed me. Very, very light traffic. I'd rather drive it than many four-lane roads.

[DTComposer]

https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/california-road-stop-gus-fresh-jerky-struggling-21248857.php

Article about one of the businesses bypassed by the new alignment.

[Quillz]

Gus has been around forever, but it's also one of those places that every time I pass, I would never see anyone there to begin with. I wonder how much business they were doing before the bypass was built. There's also some good jerky places in Bishop, which I usually stop at instead.

He's also located inside a tiny building. I wonder if at some point, the business could relocate to somewhere along the new bypass.

[pderocco]

Years ago, I'd stop there on my frequent Owens Valley trips. I'd get a bag of jerky and it would last in the car for months. Then they stopped adding preservatives, and I bit into a bunch of moldy jerky while driving once. That was it for me. I can't eat a whole bag of that stuff in a single drive.

Most of his places are in small buildings, but there's one based out of an RV on US-95 just north of I-40:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/e6hcjmEggj9WiHss7

Maybe he could set up something like that in Cartago, between Crystal Geyser Rd and Lake St, where it would be visible from the highway. And add preservatives.