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Blasting Continues On CA-41 Passing Lanes Project

MADERA COUNTY — Blasting continues this week on a section of CA-41 where construction is ongoing to add passing lanes. The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced last week that the project  is progressing ahead of schedule, with about half as many blast days required originally thought. 40 days were once planned for what is turning out to look more like 20, for the blasting portion of construction.

Meanwhile, two blasts are scheduled for Wednesday, Jun. 1, according to Cory Burkarth of Caltrans. The blasts will take place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the first one tentatively scheduled for around 9 a.m. We’ll update more as the schedule becomes available for the rest of the week.

On May 23, Burkarth estimated that just six or seven days of blasting remain to be completed and two days of blasting have taken place since then. Because these operations won’t go on for as long as initially planned, other portions of the project will move forward sooner, with paving operations beginning possibly as soon as Monday, June 13.

Traffic will be interrupted during blasting, with delays planned for a maximum of 30 minutes, provided the blast goes off as anticipated. Traffic will be stopped well in advance of the blasting area for safety reasons, says Caltrans.

Caltrans advises drivers to add additional time to their commute during construction, and to please watch for contractor and Caltrans personnel and equipment. All scheduling is dependent upon weather conditions.

The construction project will add passing lanes in both directions along 1.7 miles of State Route 41 just north of Highway 145 near the 22 Mile House, from mile posts 11.7 to 13.4.

The project also includes construction of 8-foot outside shoulders, a 4-foot soft median barrier, both with rumble strips. Drainage culverts will be extended to accommodate the passing lanes.

Contractor Teichert, Inc. has been in business since 1887, and includes Teichert Construction and Teichert Materials. Various agencies have been collaborating on this project for over seven years, including Caltrans, Madera County Transportation Commission, and the County Public Works Department. The project is funded by the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and locally through Madera County.

Below is an available detour route during construction – click to enlarge.

Detour Map Highway 41

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