All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
COMPLETE

COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING

0 out of 0

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED

SECTOR
Surface Transportation

CATEGORY
Project Category DOT Projects

LEAD AGENCY
California, CalTrans

Description:

Project Description/Purpose/Need
On July 12, 2019, the Project Development Team combined the Capital Maintenance project (EA 06-0Y200) and the Certified Roadway Rehabilitation (2R) project (EA 06-0W790). The project begins at Post Mile (PM) 56.4 on State Route (SR) 99 in Kern County and ends at PM 13.5 in Tulare County, 0.2 mile north of the Avenue 100 Overcrossing in Pixley. SR 99 is a 4-lane divided freeway throughout the project area.
The build alternative proposes to widen SR 99 from a 4-lane freeway to a 6-lane freeway and rehabilitate the existing lanes. The additional lines will be added within the median by constructing an inside 12-foot lane and 10-foot insider should inside shoulder in both directions. The existing lanes and outside shoulders will be rehabilitated with a 0.20 foot of existing asphalt concrete (AC) and overlay with 0.15 foot of hot-mix asphalt (HMA), capped with 0.10 foot of rubberized hot-mix asphalt (RHMA). The on and off ramps within the project limit will be paved with HMA. The ramp gore areas will be rehabilitated per Materials Engineering Recommendations. There will be modifications of the roadway profile under the structures to provide standard vertical clearance where required between the following PM segments: 6.05 to 6.25, 6.53 to 6.73, 7.07 to 7.27, and 12.0 to 13.0.
The existing drainage system, pumping systems, and Transportation Management Systems will be upgraded within the project limit. Based on discussions during a previous project meeting (August 25, 2020) and mapping provided, the drainage system update will involve the construction of V-ditches along both sides of SR 99. These drainage ditches (located within State ROW) will be 2 feet deep and 4 feet wide. The existing storm water retention basin in the southern portion of the project area (south of the Kern/Tulare County line) will not be altered or deepened to accommodate additional storm water run-off.
The existing bridges at the Avenue 76 Undercrossing for the northbound and southbound direction will have an interior median added to connect the two bridges together.
The thrie-beam guardrail and oleanders within the project limit will be removed from the median and replaced with a concrete median barrier. Several Eucalyptus trees may be removed for the construction of V-ditches and for the clear recovery zone. Therefore, replanting of vegetation will be required after the project is completed.
The purpose of this project is to improve operational deficiencies, improve freight movement, to provide for future growth and to preserve, repair and extend the service life of the existing pavement along this segment of the SR 99 trade corridor.
Enhancement of this segment of SR 99 in Tulare County is needed to improve truck freight throughput and travel time reliability. Trucks account for approximately 22% of the Annual Average Daily Traffic within this corridor as compared with the State average of 9% truck traffic. The 2020 California Freight Mobility Plan estimates over 463 million tons of goods moved into, out of, and within the region in 2010. This is expected to grow to more than 800 million tons by 2040. The corridor includes the three largest agricultural-producing countries in the nation and is becoming a major logistics complex with expanding numbers of mega-distribution centers and new manufacturing/processing facilities.
In addition, the pavement within the project limits is under distress and has various surface cracks. This will result in an increased cost of maintaining the existing pavement and the inability of state forces to continually maintain this section of highway in good condition for the traveling public.