Crystal Springs and Drum Forebay Bridge Overcrossings Scheduled for Full Demolition
PLACER COUNTY – Caltrans is alerting Interstate 80 motorists of anticipated travel delays over the next two weeks for full bridge overcrossing demolition at Drum Forebay and Crystal Springs.
Interstate 80 will be closed to traffic nightly between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Monday, May 3 through Thursday, May 6 at Drum Forebay with demolition of the Crystal Springs overcrossing scheduled between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Monday, May 10 through Thursday, May 13. All east- and westbound passenger and commercial vehicles will be detoured off the highway at the off-ramps and back on via the on-ramps during demolition work. Motorists should expect slight travel delays in the area.
As the bridge overcrossing structures at Drum Forebay and Crystal Springs will be fully demolished and rebuilt, detours will be provided for motorists connecting to I-80 from local roads. These local detours are anticipated through the end of the year while the overcrossings are rebuilt.
· Drum Forebay: Local residents entering I-80 from Kearsarge Mill Road for westbound travel toward Sacramento will be detoured east approximately 4.3 miles to Blue Canyon, where they will take I-80 west. Local residents entering from Drum Forebay Road/Culberson Road for eastbound travel toward Truckee will be detoured west approximately 2 miles to Baxter, where they will take I-80 east.
· Crystal Springs: All eastbound motorists are advised to use Baxter Road for I-80 travel toward Truckee or local road access. The westbound Crystal Springs on-ramp will remain open to local residents accessing I-80 westbound from Baxter Road and Alta Bonnynook Road.
Partial demolition on the Cisco Grove overcrossing began this week with one-way traffic control in effect across the structure. Demolition of the Baxter overcrossing is scheduled in 2022.
The work is part of a $57 million project to replace four Interstate 80 bridge overcrossings in Placer County: Crystal Springs, Baxter, Drum Forebay and Cisco Grove. The structures are being demolished and rebuilt due to cracking and spalling of the concrete decks and high corrosive chloride content in the concrete deck surfaces. All overcrossings are being widened to include 8-foot shoulders, 6-foot sidewalks and will include ramps that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
Construction on the project began earlier this month with intermittent lane closures and local detours occurring during the day and at night. Walsh Construction of Concord is the prime contractor. Project completion is expected in summer 2023.
Weather or unexpected events may delay or prolong the work. The department will issue construction updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3, on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3 and on the Caltrans District 3 website. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.