Expected start date for Indianola safety improvement project

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HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM)-The Indianola safety improvement project has an expected start date, the project will start the summer of 2021.

Jeff Pimentel is a project manager for Caltrans and is overseeing the Eureka/Arcata safety corridor projects.

Pimentel says, the Indianola under crossing and half-signal project, where an under-crossing at the intersection of highway 101, where post project 101 will go over Indianola.

“We’ll also be closing the median crossings that exists today at Bracut, Bayside Cutoff, Mid City Motor World, California Redwood Company, over at Airport Road, we’ll have half-signals so the traffic will be controlled by a signal at that location.”

The cost of the project will be about $50M, which according to Pimentel is very exciting.

He says, to some people, this may be a hefty price to pay.

“What’s exciting about that is largely funding and transportation dollars are often awarded to large vehicle volumes and large populations,” he said. “And for a small community we have here in a rural area it’s really exciting to safety improvements.”

The funding is triggered by safety need, and safety dollars across the state receive the highest priority.

At Indianola according to Pimentel, the collision rate is nearly twice the state average.

The funding sources for this project are combination two pots of money which comes from both the State Transportation Improvement Program or “STIP” and the State Highway Operation and Protection Program, which is a combination of state and federal dollars.

And for the business around the area during and after construction.

“You should see better movement through this intersection which is going to benefit all the property along Indianola businesses, residential, all users of the facility that are traveling this way,” he said.

Once the project begins, the project will take upwards of about four years to complete construction, according to Pimentel.

“Construction currently is targeting to begin the spring, summer of 2021 so you could expect that construction activity may begin may June of next year,” he said.