MARIPOSA COUNTY – It has been over three weeks since Caltrans closed both lanes of Highway 49 in northern Mariposa County for repairs.
The closure added up to one hour of additional travel time for some motorists wishing to reach the communities of Bear Valley, Coulterville, Greeley Hill and Mariposa.
Today, Caltrans announced that it has completed repairs and opened northbound and southbound State Route 49 (SR-49) from Bear Valley Road to SR-132 in Coulterville.
The closure began on Monday, April 29, to allow crews to repair or replace three culverts (underground drainage systems) and to rebuild the road over them, including repaving and re-striping.
However, once work got underway, crews discovered that the shoulders of SR-49 at multiple locations (including the entire roadside embankment) were shifting away from the highway.
“For the sake of public safety and for the long-term integrity of SR-49,” Caltrans extending the closure to allow crews to rebuild roadside slopes and shoulders, and place erosion control measures like “geo grid” –a plastic mesh material –beneath the surface of the slopes.
To stay current on news regarding state highways, please follow District 10 on Twitter (@CaltransDist10), download the Caltrans Quickmap app to your phone, call 1-800-427-ROAD (7623) and check http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi for highway conditions.