Mokelumne River Bridge upgrade scheduled to begin this summer

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will begin work this summer to upgrade the bridge rails and widen the Mokelumne River Bridge on State Route 49 near the Calaveras/Amador County line.

The project is scheduled to begin in late July/early August 2023 and will be conducted over two, possibly three construction seasons due a late start this year because of weather and environmental-related issues.

The purpose of the project is to improve safety and ride quality for motorists and enhance the mobility of pedestrian and bicycle traffic crossing the bridge.

New bridge rails that meet current crash safety standards will be installed, and the bridge, which was built in 1952, will be widened to include 4-foot shoulders that will better meet the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists.

The roadway approach shoulders also will be widened on both ends of the bridge for approximately 75 feet to match the widened structure and the adjacent roadway segments.

The existing deteriorated chip seal overlay will be replaced to seal cracks in the bridge deck.

One-way traffic control, utilizing a temporary traffic signal, will be in place to allow work on one side of the bridge at a time. The signal will be configured to allow emergency vehicle override and adequate timing for bicycle traffic accommodation.

Flaggers also may be utilized during the day to minimize delays. There will not be designated detours on local roads.

Caltrans is committed to maintaining as much access to the Mokelumne River’s recreational amenities as is consistent with public and construction safety, including keeping the Big Bar Recreation Area available for watercraft coming from upstream (Electra-Middle Bar Run) and to those wishing to use Big Bar as a take-out for their watercraft.

The $10.1 million project includes $3.6 million in Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) funds and will be conducted by Bridgeway Civil Constructors (Vacaville, CA).

This work is scheduled to begin as listed, but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment, and/or materials and construction related issues.

For more information on this project, click here: tinyurl.com/3ebzpd97 For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Be Work Zone Alert. For the latest road conditions, visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov.