Traffic Advisory for the Week of 10/7/2024 – 10/11/2024

EASTERN KERN, INYO, and MONO COUNTIES – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the following project work and traffic impacts for the week of October 7 – October 11.

Work schedules are subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment and/or materials, and/or construction-related issues.

New Traffic Impacts

Eastern Kern County

·     Weldon Pole Replacement – On State Route 178 W from Faye Ranch Road to Kelso Valley Road, utility crews will replace a pole on Tuesday from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control and drivers may experience 10-minute delays.

Inyo County

·     Olancha-Cartago Southbound Traffic Switch – Southbound traffic will no longer detour on U.S. 395 through the Olancha-Cartago project area starting October 7. Instead, vehicles traveling south through the area will use the new southbound lanes. Caltrans has constructed a new road that will connect southbound drivers to Cartago, Olancha, and State Route 190 to Death Valley National Park. Northbound traffic will remain on the current lanes. The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph through the project area. For more information on the traffic switch, visit: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-9/district-9-news/2024_10_3-olan-cart-oct-traffic-switch

·     State Route 168 Wire Crossing – On State Route 168 W near E Bishop Creek Road, utility crews will cross wire over the highway on Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control with flaggers and drivers may experience 10-minute delays.

Mono County

·     Crooked Creek Core Drilling – On U.S. 395 from Lower Rock Creek Road to Crooked Creek Bridge, there will be a lane closure in both directions on Tuesday and Wednesday as crews core drill the highway. Work is scheduled from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm and drivers may experience brief delays.

Ongoing Traffic Impacts

Eastern Kern County

·     Kern Digouts and Slab Replacement Project – On the westbound lanes of State Route 58 between Sand Canyon Road and Dennison Road near Tehachapi, and on the westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway near the Borax overpass, there will be intermittent lane closures while crews dig out distressed pavement and replace slabs. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm. Drivers may experience brief delays.

·     State Route 58 Median Safety Devices Project – On State Route 58 just east of Cameron Canyon Road, the shoulders will close in both directions while crews repair and upgrade guardrail. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

·     China Lake Water Main Replacement – On State Route 178 E between N. Brady Street and N. Victor Street, the westbound outside lane is closed while crews replace a water main Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm. The outside lane will reopen after work hours and the shoulder will close at night.

·     Mojave Sidewalk Construction – On State Route 14 from the Oak Creek Road overcrossing to just north of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power office in Mojave, the northbound outside lane and shoulder are closed while crews construct a sidewalk. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. Businesses in the project area will remain accessible throughout construction.

Inyo County

·     Olancha Shoulder Closures – On U.S. 395 at the junction with State Route 190 in Olancha, there will be intermittent shoulder closures to allow trucks access to deliver material Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

·     State Route 190 Emergency Repairs – On State Route 190 from State Route 136 to Darwin Road near the western boundary of Death Valley National Park, work has paused on placing delineators. Once work resumes, crews will work in the shoulders Monday through Friday from 5:30 am to 6:00 pm.

·     Dunmovin Thin Blanket Project – On U.S. 395 between Coso Junction and Haiwee Canyon Road, crews continue to back the shoulders in both directions and perform corrective pavement grinding. The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph through the construction area. Work is scheduled Monday through Wednesday from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. Drivers may experience brief delays, including at the Coso Junction Safety Roadside Rest Area.

Mono County

·     Bridgeport Reservoir Wire Crossing – On State Route 182 from Shoofly Lane to Lakeside Drive, utility crews will cross wires over the road on Monday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control and drivers may experience 5-minute delays.

·     Sonora Junction Shoulders Project – On U.S. 395 between Burcham Flat Road and Sonora Junction, crews have completed paving, and will continue striping, installing permanent signs, setting permanent erosion control, and construction on the wildlife escape ramps. Work is scheduled from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Friday. There is one-way traffic control and drivers may encounter 20-minute delays.

·     Highpoint Rockfall Repair – On U.S. 395 from 1.5 miles north of State Route 89 (Monitor Pass) to one mile south of the Nevada State Line along Topaz Lake, crews continue to repair a damaged rockfall protection system Monday through Saturday from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control and drivers may experience 20-minute delays.

San Bernardino County (District 9 maintains State Route 127 in San Bernardino County in coordination with District 8)

·     Baker Utility Work – On State Route 127 from Interstate 15 to Schoolhouse Lane, county crews have placed traffic control devices in the shoulders. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The $16.8 million Sonora Junction Shoulders Project is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) – also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under IIJA, California will receive an estimated $41.9 billion over five years. IIJA provides significant funding to rebuild California’s transportation system, including support to improve roadways, bridges, freight projects, public transportation, infrastructure safety enhancements, and to increase infrastructure resiliency to the impacts of severe weather and climate change. For more information about IIJA, visit http://rebuildingca.ca.gov/iija-by-the-numbers.

The $10.027 million Dunmovin Thin Blanket Project is funded by Senate Bill (SB) 1. SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1. For more information about other transportation projects funded by SB 1, visit http://rebuildingca.ca.gov.

Find out how California is building for a better tomorrow by visiting build.ca.gov and rebuildingca.ca.gov.

Travelers are asked to be attentive to workers on the highway, slow for the cone zone, and move over whenever possible to give additional clearance. Be Safe and Be Work Zone Alert!

To assist in planning your commute, view live traffic conditions using QuickMap at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap App to your iOS or Android device.

For those with sensory disabilities requiring alternate formats (i.e., Braille, large print, sign language interpreter, etc.) and those needing information in a language other than English, please contact Bob Gossman at 760-881-7145 or TTY 711.