Caltrans Begins Four-Year, $36.4 Million Highway 4 Repair Project in Sierra Nevada

The road becomes narrow, steep and winding at higher elevations.

California's transport agency, Caltrans, will begin a major four-year project to repair a long stretch of Highway 4, including the historic Ebbetts Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The work is now scheduled to start on August 3 after being delayed. The $36.4 million project will cover about 31.7 miles of highway 4 in Alpine County. The route passes through well-known destinations such as Bear Valley, Lake Alpine, Mosquito Lakes and Pacific Valley before crossing Ebbetts Pass, one of the last remaining wild routes across the Sierra Nevada. The repair work is aimed at improving the ageing road while keeping its existing layout. Caltrans said the project is expected to finish in autumn 2030. The project was originally due to begin on July 13. However, Caltrans postponed the start until August 3 to reduce disruption during the Bear Valley Music Festival, which runs from July 17 to August 2 and attracts around 4,000 visitors. Before the delay, only pre-construction survey work had been carried out. In a Facebook post announcing the change, Caltrans said, "#CaltransDistrict10 is working with Alpine County communities toward one of its guiding principles of prosperity by delaying the State Route 4 Anchor pavement project to allow for peak of summer-season activities to continue work on this project." Hooker said the delay will not affect the overall construction schedule, with the project still expected to be completed in autumn 2030. The Ebbetts pass is registered as a California historical landmark.

Challenging mountain road

Repairing Ebbetts Pass is not easy because of the terrain. The road reaches an elevation of 8,050 feet at the Pacific Grade Summit. While much of Highway 4 has two lanes, the road becomes narrow, steep and winding at higher elevations, with some sections reduced to a single lane. The highway also closes during winter because of heavy snow. Caltrans said the project will not widen the single-lane sections. "There are a host of unique challenges facing Caltrans and the contractor when performing work along our scenic mountain pass highways," Caltrans spokesperson Brian Hooker told SFGATE. "Some of those challenges include the steep mountain terrain, narrow highway corridors, potentially short windows for construction based on seasonal weather patterns and also providing accommodations for outdoor recreational activities and local economies which are largely based on tourism."

Resurfacing the road

The project includes resurfacing the road with hot-mix asphalt and replacing ageing infrastructure along the route. Caltrans will replace 66 drainage culverts, seven guardrails, 274 roadside signs and two overhead sign structures. Crews will also install new shoulder backing and asphalt dikes where needed. The contract has been awarded to Teichert Construction Inc. of Sacramento. According to Caltrans, the improvements will benefit motorists, commercial vehicles and cyclists travelling between Bear Valley and Markleeville, including those crossing Ebbetts Pass.

Traffic restrictions expected

Drivers should prepare for traffic disruptions once construction begins. The work will mainly take place on weekdays, with crews expected to work from 6 am to 5 pm. One-way traffic control will be used along parts of the highway, and there will also be occasional full road closures for the safety of workers and motorists. Caltrans said the Raymond Meadow Creek Bridge will be fully closed during part of the project. The agency added that the work schedule may change depending on traffic incidents, weather, equipment availability or other construction-related issues.