Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Project

[Voyager]

According to the California Transportation Commission, the northbound lanes in the area of the ancient burial site has been realigned. The delay is quoted to be 175 working days. So the project won't be complete until October 31, 2024 at the earliest. Here's the link: https://catc.ca.gov/-/media/ctc-media/documents/ctc-meetings/2023/2023-06/99-2-5e9-a11y

Could be worse, I wonder what kind of a shift its going to create in the alignment though (since it'll be an expressway they might have to do quite a bit of route change).

[pderocco]

The document doesn't describe where the rerouting is. However, I wonder if it can be explained by this sentence from a CalTrans statement I found in an Inyo Register article: "These laws and regulations require all agencies to maintain the confidentiality of cultural resources on any project, and Caltrans is restricted from providing specific project information which may lead to the disclosure of protected resources." If that's the reason, it won't prove effective, as we know where the road was going to go, and we'll eventually see where it does go, and the discrepancy will be limited to the area they're trying to keep secret.

[ClassicHasClass]

Stop trying to apply logic to Caltrans. It won't work. 

[Sub-Urbanite]

The document doesn't describe where the rerouting is. However, I wonder if it can be explained by this sentence from a CalTrans statement I found in an Inyo Register article: "These laws and regulations require all agencies to maintain the confidentiality of cultural resources on any project, and Caltrans is restricted from providing specific project information which may lead to the disclosure of protected resources." If that's the reason, it won't prove effective, as we know where the road was going to go, and we'll eventually see where it does go, and the discrepancy will be limited to the area they're trying to keep secret.

This sounds completely reasonable? The law says government can't divulge where the cultural resources are, so they're not divulging it. Whether someone else uses process of elimination to figure out where the resources are is irrelevant.

And for heaven's sakes, don't go searching for the resources. Hopefully Caltrans and the tribes have worked out agreements on how to protect them since they have de facto been revealed.

[Quillz]

The document doesn't describe where the rerouting is. However, I wonder if it can be explained by this sentence from a CalTrans statement I found in an Inyo Register article: "These laws and regulations require all agencies to maintain the confidentiality of cultural resources on any project, and Caltrans is restricted from providing specific project information which may lead to the disclosure of protected resources." If that's the reason, it won't prove effective, as we know where the road was going to go, and we'll eventually see where it does go, and the discrepancy will be limited to the area they're trying to keep secret.

This sounds completely reasonable? The law says government can't divulge where the cultural resources are, so they're not divulging it. Whether someone else uses process of elimination to figure out where the resources are is irrelevant.

And for heaven's sakes, don't go searching for the resources. Hopefully Caltrans and the tribes have worked out agreements on how to protect them since they have de facto been revealed.

I agree. So a segment has to be realigned due to existing laws. It happens, life goes on.

I think it's safe to 99.9% of the motoring public will not care or even think about this. "Oh, 395 looks different from before." Is about the most they'll go.

[pderocco]

The document doesn't describe where the rerouting is. However, I wonder if it can be explained by this sentence from a CalTrans statement I found in an Inyo Register article: "These laws and regulations require all agencies to maintain the confidentiality of cultural resources on any project, and Caltrans is restricted from providing specific project information which may lead to the disclosure of protected resources." If that's the reason, it won't prove effective, as we know where the road was going to go, and we'll eventually see where it does go, and the discrepancy will be limited to the area they're trying to keep secret.

This sounds completely reasonable? The law says government can't divulge where the cultural resources are, so they're not divulging it. Whether someone else uses process of elimination to figure out where the resources are is irrelevant.

And for heaven's sakes, don't go searching for the resources. Hopefully Caltrans and the tribes have worked out agreements on how to protect them since they have de facto been revealed.

Well, they're not "resources" to me. I couldn't care less where they are.

[gonealookin]

Paving work is going again on this project, with completion now (allegedly) 18 or so months away.

https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-9/district-9-projects-list/olancha-cartago-4-lane-project

May 23, 2024 - Paving has resumed on the southern end of the Olancha-Cartago 4-Lane Project after a winter suspension. Construction crews will aim to lay up to 120,000 tons of asphalt this year after they laid approximately 85,000 tons last year. The traffic switches currently in place at the north and south ends of the project area will remain in place throughout the summer and drivers can expect more traffic switches in the future. The project is estimated to complete construction in the fall of 2025.

[Quillz]

Was just there today. There is indeed a little bit of a back-up in Olancha where the switch happens. But then things clear out quickly.

I think it's been mentioned before, but once this project is complete, CA-190 will get a slight extension as it will take over a short segment of what is now US-395. Given the mile markers begin at 9 (I guess to reflect the never-built Sierra crossing), we'll  see mile markers R8 and under.