Traffic Advisory for the Week of 9/18/2023 – 9/22/2023

EASTERN KERN, INYO, and MONO COUNTIES – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces the following project work and traffic impacts for the week of September 18 – September 22.

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

Inyo County

· Cartago Traffic Switch – On U.S. 395 north of Cartago, northbound traffic has switched to a temporary lane at Willow Dip. Southbound traffic will switch this week using the temporary crossover approximately four miles north of Cartago. Traffic speeds are reduced to 45 MPH through the current alignment for driver safety. Drivers may experience short delays.

· State Route 190 Closure – Due to extensive damage from Tropical Storm Hilary, State Route 190 is closed from the junction with U.S. Highway 395 in Olancha to the junction with State Route 127 in Death Valley Junction.

Mono County

· Topaz Lake Emergency Repair Project – On U.S. 395 approximately 1.9 miles south of the Nevada State Line, crews are realigning a 0.5-mile stretch of the road to repair winter storm damage Tuesday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. There is one-way traffic control with a pilot car during work hours and a traffic light after work hours. Drivers may experience 20-minute delays.

· Sonora Pass Guardrail Replacement – On State Route 108 between the winter closure gate near the Marine Corps Mountain Training Center and the junction with U.S. 395, crews will replace guardrail Wednesday through Friday from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control and drivers may experience 20-minute delays.

· CMS Board Construction – On U.S. 395, crews are installing new Changeable Message Signs in two locations:

o Approximately 1.5 miles south of the S. Landing Road overcrossing near Crowley.

o Near Huggans Lane just south of the junction with State Route 182 in Bridgeport.

Work is scheduled Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and on Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control near Bridgeport and drivers may experience 10-minute delays.

· Conway Ranch Shoulders Project – On U.S. 395 between State Route 167 and just north of Conway Ranch Road near Mono City, crews are widening the shoulders, lengthening chain-up areas, installing lighting, and rehabilitating drainage infrastructure. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. There will be one-way traffic control and drivers may experience 20-minute delays.

· Cemetery CAPM – On U.S. 395 between Cemetery Road and State Route 167 near Mono City, crews are installing rumble strips and striping the roadway Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. There will be single-lane closures and one-way traffic control, and drivers may experience 20-minute delays.

Projects on the state highway system with minimal or no delays:

Eastern Kern County

· Ridgecrest Sewer Replacement – On State Route 178 E between French Avenue and Gemstone Street, crews will replace a sewer line Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. One lane in the eastbound direction will intermittently close. Drivers could experience brief delays.

· Backus Road Utility Work – On State Route 14 between the towns of Mojave and Rosamond, there will be utility work on the northbound and southbound off-ramps at Backus Road Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:30 pm.

· Kern Digouts and Slab Replacement Project – Construction crews will perform digouts and replace slabs on the following highways:

o State Route 58 from just east of Twenty Mule Team Road to 0.3 miles west of Borax Road

o State Route 14 from Purdy Avenue to 0.7 miles north of Silver Queen Road

Work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm. One lane will remain open at all times. Drivers may experience short delays.

· Rosamond Xeriscape Project – On State Route 14 at the Rosamond Boulevard overcrossing, crews are nearly finished placing xeriscape landscaping. Work is scheduled on Monday from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.

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.

· Bartlett Thin Blanket – On U.S. 395 between Carroll Creek Road and Diaz Lake Recreation Area just south of the town of Lone Pine, lanes in both directions will intermittently close while crews install rumble strips and stripe the roadway. Work is scheduled Tuesday through Thursday from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, and on Friday from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The Conway Ranch Shoulders Project received $8.3 million from IIJA.

The $7,413,500 Cemetery CAPM Project and the $3,101,500 Kern Digouts and Slab Replacement Project are funded by 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.

Under IIJA, California will receive an estimated $41.9 billion over 5 years. IIJA provides significant funding to Caltrans to improve roadways, bridges, freight projects, public transportation, and safety, and to address climate change. For more information about IIJA, visit http://rebuildingca.ca.gov/iija-by-the-numbers.

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!

Follow us for the latest information on Facebook (Caltrans District 9), Twitter (@Caltrans9), and Instagram (@Caltransd9), or email us at [email protected]. To assist in planning your commute, view live traffic conditions using QuickMap at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.