MEETING WILL LOOK FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON SR-36 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Construction on State Route 36 is set to start in 2015, but before the physical work even begins, public input is required.

 
"We're in the early stages of getting input and developing the alternatives to this project," said Richard Mullen, project manager for Caltrans. 
 
On Tuesday, an open meeting from 6 to 8 p-m at the Bridgeville School Gym will give the public an opportunity to get involved.
 
"Their concerns and needs and incorporate those into the studies that we're getting started on," Mullen said.
 
Back in 2011, Caltrans was awarded grant money from the California Forest Highway Program to fix the roads on SR 36.
 
"This is really steep, hair-pin turns that make it very difficult if not impossible to stay in their lane so someone else can come the other way,” said Curtis Cross, engineering project manager for Six Rivers National Forest. “So it's really a safety concern."
 
The project is set to begin construction in 2015 and project managers are especially concerned with certain areas.
 
“There's steep vertical grades, it's a narrow width, will also study sight distance, and also the stability of land has been an ongoing issue over the passed few years," Mullen said.
 
And since SR 36 is a direct route to Interstate 5, this is an issue of concern to travelers who frequent the road.
 
"Whether it be for log trucks, chip trucks, forest visitors with the trailers and RVs," Cross said.
 
Construction will be little under a mile north of the Little Van Duzen River up to the bridge, it would cover about 4 miles of road where it’s steep and one lane.
 
"So we're hoping that by making this section of highway a little bit safer, it will allow not only the forest products to get through safer, but also forest visitors will be safer in their travels as well," Cross said.