Fix i-5 Boat Section Project News Blog

Fix i-5 Boat Section Project News Blog ...

> Hot Weather Impacting The "Big Fix" ... July 9/08
Stage 3 of the Big Fix construction project is underway, shutting down the southbound lanes on Interstate 5. The closure is scheduled to last a week, but hot weather could cause some delays... cont...

> Work On Southbound Lanes Of I-5 Resumes ... July 8/08
Construction along Interstate 5 resumed Tuesday night on the southbound lanes. The southbound lanes of Interstate 5 from Richards Boulevard to Highway 50 closed at 8 p.m... cont...

> Southbound I-5 closure ramps up tonight ... July 8/08
The Big Fix freeway project gears up again tonight with a six-day closure of Interstate 5's southbound lanes downtown. The shutdown – between the J Street exit and P Street onramp – is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m... cont...

> I-5 in Sacramento to be open over July Fourth weekend ... June 23/08
Travelers using Interstate 5 in the Sacramento area over the Fourth of July holiday weekend should find all northbound and southbound lanes open, the California Department of Transportation says... cont...

> Phase 2 of I-5 Fix Reopens Ahead of Schedule ... June 23/08
Southbound lanes of Interstate 5 through downtown Sacramento were reopened Sunday morning, nearly a full day ahead of schedule, Caltrans officials announced. Contractor C.C. Myers said Phase 2 of the Fix I-5 project went faster than expected, allowing Caltrans to reopen the lanes 20 hours early... cont...

> I-5 Fix Schedule Delayed ... June 19/08
The next stage of the I-5 Fix will be moved to July 8, Caltrans said today. Delaying that stage will give crews more time to prepare the southbound lanes for final sealing, said Caltrans spokesman Mark Dinger. It will also allow the lanes to stay open through the July 4 holiday... cont...

> I-5 Project Results In Big Wednesday Morning Traffic Backup ... June 18/08
Southbound Interstate 5 traffic coming into downtown Sacramento from the Natomas area was tangled for at least two miles during Wednesday morning's commute as a major road construction project continued... cont...

> Speed Limit Lowered In I-5 Work Zone ... June 16/08
After two traffic incidents on Interstate 5, Caltrans officials have lowered the construction zone speed limit to 45.5 miles per hour during stage two of the Fix I-5 Project... cont...

> Southbound lanes of I-5 closed for phase 2 construction ... June 13/08
The southbound lanes of Interstate 5 closed Friday night for repairs until June 23. Southbound drivers must exit at Richards Boulevard or J Street. The repair schedule calls for the southbound lanes to be closed until 5 a.m. Monday, June 23... cont...

> Southbound I-5 closing begins at 8 PM Friday June 13 ... June 13/08
The traffic snarls the California Department of Transportation's traffic management team anticipated in connection with the recent closure of a nearly two-mile stretch of Interstate 5 through downtown Sacramento were relatively mild, but Phase 2 might be trickier... cont...

> Video: Advice for dealing with i-5 southbound closure ... June 12/08
Traffic Pulse 3 reporter Ryan Disch offers advice for dealing with the closure of southbound Interstate 5 in Sacramento... cont...

> Public’s Help Needed on Fix I-5 Research Project ... June 12/08
If you are employed, and you live or work in the western part of the greater Sacramento region, then UC Davis researchers studying the Interstate 5 closures in downtown Sacramento want to hear from you -- even if the closures have not affected you... cont...

> Video: Fix I-5 project Time Lapse Video of Phase 1 Repairs ... June 10/08
Caltrans has released a time-lapse video of Interstate 5 work from phase 1... cont...

> Caltrans may try rapid repair method on other state freeways ... June 10/08
California's top highway official said the first week of Interstate 5 closures for the Big Fix went so smoothly – and commuters responded so well – the state may try more "rapid repair" freeway projects elsewhere. "This is an effective way to get these jobs done with minimal disruption and reduced cost," a pleased state Transportation Department Director Will Kempton said Sunday... cont...

> Interstate 5 temporarily reopens through Sacramento ... June 9/08
Commuters in the state capital are driving again on one of the main arteries through downtown. Construction crews opened the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 at 2:05 a.m. Monday. The lanes heading into downtown Sacramento had been closed for 10 days as part of a six-week freeway construction project. The next step will be closing the southbound lanes for 10 days starting Friday... cont...

> Myers Has Plan For Next Phase Of I-5 Work ... June 9/08
The newly paved lanes of Interstate 5 reopened for traffic ahead of schedule early Monday, and contractor C.C. Myers said he learned a great deal about how to make the next phase of work progress even smoother. The northbound lanes, which were shut down May 30 from the Highway 50 interchange to Richards Boulevard, opened for traffic at about 2:05 a.m. For this commute week, northbound and southbound lanes remain open. The next phase calls for closing the southbound lanes from Richards Boulevard to Highway 50 starting at 8 p.m. Friday night. However, two lanes will remain open for exiting at J Street... cont...

> Traffic heavier on second day of commute ... June 3/08
Early commuter traffic is heavier Tuesday morning than Monday as more motorists hit the roadways and try to figure out how to get around the closure of the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 between Old Sacramento and downtown... cont...

> Video: Northbound I-5 Clogged, Surface Streets Jammed ... June 3/08
The ongoing Interstate 5 construction project in Sacramento caused backups along the northbound lanes of the freeway and surface streets as of about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Northbound traffic heading into downtown Sacramento was backed up to Fruitridge Road... cont...

> Video: Keep Eyes On Road, I-5 Contractor Urges ... June 2/08

> Commuters Adapting Well To I-5 Project ... June 2/08
Traffic along northbound Interstate 5 was clogged for a brief time in south Sacramento early Monday morning, but most commuters appeared to adapt well as a major freeway repair project put them to the test... cont...

> Video: Speed Limit Drops to 55 In I-5 Work Zone ... June 2/08

> Yolobus increases service to Sacramento during I-5 closure ... June 2/08
Yolo County began offering added service on Yolobus today as part of an effort to ease congestion during this summer's intermittent Interstate 5 closures for Caltrans repairs... cont...

> Video: I-5 Crews Begin Tearing Up Concrete ... June 1/08

> I-5 Job Site Filled With Workers, Trucks ... June 1/08
Workers are swarming over a downtown Sacramento stretch of Interstate 5 as part of one of the biggest road projects the capital has seen in decades... cont...

> Historic Highway shutdown has started ... May 31/08
Sacramento's Big Fix freeway closure launched with nary a hitch Friday night. After months of prep work and plenty of traffic warnings, highway officials successfully shut a mile-long section of northbound Interstate 5 in downtown – and set to work on what will be a six-week rehabilitation project... cont...

> Northbound I-5 Closure Underway ... May 30/08
It's here. Friday marked the official start of the Fix I-5 freeway project downtown. Starting at 8 p.m. Friday, all northbound lanes of I-5 from the 50/CCF Interchange past L Street closed through June 9... cont...

> 2 miles of I-5 to close off and on for repairs ... May 30/08
A section of Interstate 5 through Sacramento will be intermittently shut for repairs for seven weeks... cont...

> Video: Looking For Alternate Routes Along I-5? ... May 30/08
There are several ways to survive I-5 as the freeway is shut down for repairs... cont...

> Video: I-5 Work Set To Begin Tonight ... May 30/08

> Extra options being offered to commuters during Big Fix ... May 30/08
Transit officials in several area counties are trying to lure commuters onto public transit during the Interstate 5 construction project. The Yolo County Transportation District is running extra round-trip buses from Woodland to Davis to downtown Sacramento during peak hours on weekdays. It also will provide... cont...

> Video: Commuters Will Help Track I-5 Problems ... May 30/08
KCRA 3 has recruited a crew of commuters to phone in any traffic problems that arise from the massive Interstate 5 construction project... cont...

> I-5 closures starts tonight: Here's what you need to know ... May 30/08
After weeks of warning, California highway officials will finally close a mile of northbound Interstate 5 downtown at 8 p.m. for major repair work. The next six weeks will see alternating closures of the northbound and southbound lanes. Just ahead of zero hour, here are some lingering, important questions, and the answers... cont...

> Massive delays feared as I-5 work begins ... May 30/08
A construction project to fix a crumbling stretch of freeway running through downtown Sacramento begins tonight and could cause massive delays for commuters by Monday morning if drivers don't change their habits, transportation officials said. Some of the 190,000 drivers that daily use the roughly mile-long section of Interstate 5 come from points south and can expect delays of an hour or two - or more... cont...

> Video: I-5 Closures Could Lengthen Emergency Responses ... May 29/08

> As I-5 closures loom, jittery travelers plot alternate routes to airport ... May 29/08
In Sacramento's River Park neighborhood, Ulla McDaniel has a case of the travel jitters. So do Loren Sanders of south Sacramento and Kathie Darnell in Placerville. McDaniel needs to get to Sacramento International Airport on time Monday morning to fly to Copenhagen, Denmark. Sanders is headed to... cont...

> Video: Caltrans Prepares For I-5 Shutdown ... May 29/08

> Video: The "Big Fix" Will Mean Big Cost For Truckers ... May 29/08
One more day and drivers will no longer have access to one of Sacramento's major commute routes. A route that also happens to be a major truck route. Tomorrow night, the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 from the Highway 50 connector to Richards Boulevard will be closed... cont...

> Video: Signal Timing Could be Changed to Aid I-5 Traffic Congestion ... May 28/08

> Traffic engineers poised to alter green lights to aid I-5 Commute ... May 28/08
Imagine being able to control the universe with the tips of your fingers. Well, okay, he can't control the universe, but Ryan Billeci can control the fate of thousands of commuters with a few computer key strokes. He can decide just how long you sit at a red light; or just how many greens you'll hit on your way to work... cont...

> Free Parking Offered During I-5 Crunch ... May 28/08
Free parking is being offered at county parks along the American River Parkway in an effort to encourage bicycle commuting and ease congestion during construction along a key stretch of Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento. Liz Bellas, a representative of county parks, is encouraging commuters to visit www.sacparks.net to fill out an application... cont...

> Video: Try This Route To the Sacramento Airport ... May 27/08
Heading to Sacramento International Airport? Here is one route to avoid the expected Interstate 5 construction mess... cont...

> Video: City of Sacramento Prepares For I-5 Spillover ... May 27/08

> Video: Some Truckers Unaware Of I-5 Closure ... May 27/08

> Video: Did i-5 Project Rules Change For C.C. Myers? ... May 2/08
When the California Department of Transportation put the Interstate 5 "big fix" project out to bid, it was made clear to bidders that traffic effects had to be minimal, with delays less than 20 minutes... cont...

> Frequently asked questions on i-5 closure ... May 2/08

> The big fix: How will you get to work? ... April 30/08
The time is now, right now, to map out how you'll get to work once the feared commute event of the year hits Sacramento. In a month, on May 30, highway officials begin the Big Fix -- six weeks of closures on busy Interstate 5 downtown. The ripple effect, they say, will be felt throughout the region... cont...

> Video: i-5 Big Fix To Replace Water Pumps ... April 21/08
There are about five weeks to go until a busy portion of Interstate 5 is shut down for more than a month for repairs. However, crews will be repairing much more than the road surface. How do they keep I-5 from being soggy? The answer is pumps. Lots of them... cont...

> When I-5 gets closed for repairs, will gridlock rule? ... April 14/08
Sacramento commuters and traffic officials face perhaps the most worrisome and uncertain summer ever. What's going to happen when state highway officials post "closed for repair" signs on busy Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento next month? Will there be freeway chaos region-wide? Will gridlock rule downtown streets?... cont...

> Sacramento commuters urged to prepare for upcoming I-5 closure ... April 8/08
Downtown-bound drivers have about six weeks, and counting, to prepare for Sacramento's commuter "C-day." That's "C" as in closed – the expected status in late May of Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento, as the stretch of freeway undergoes extensive repairs. "Try two routes," Caltrans' spokesman Mark Dinger said. "Check them out now. If you don't, you may be in for a rude awakening."... cont...

> Get Latest Details On I-5 Project ... April 6/08
The public will have a chance today to learn about an Interstate 5 improvement project expected to have a major impact on the downtown Sacramento commute. The city of Sacramento and Caltrans are hosting open houses on the project, which will focus on a stretch of I-5 known as the "boat section" that passes by downtown. Work is set to start in late May... cont...

> Q&A sessions slated on upcoming I-5 closures ... April 3/08
State highway and city transportation officials have scheduled three public question-and-answer sessions next week for commuters to deal with the upcoming closures of Interstate 5 through downtown Sacramento. Officials will close portions of the freeway and some on- and offramps, beginning Friday night, May 30, for freeway rehabilitation work... cont...

> I-5 stretch due for repairs was a bust from the beginning ... March 23/08
Some freeways age well. Others require a little extra care. Then there's the "boat section" of Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento. Built amid controversy in the 1960s, the stretch of sunken freeway has been trouble since it opened. Concrete cracks appeared immediately. Drain pipes have since clogged, and the pavement is crumbling fast.... cont...

> Coming i-5 snarl puts focus on needs of transit ... March 21/08
When Interstate 5 through downtown Sacramento closes for repairs in late May, the public will brace for monumental traffic jams. Even with the shortened time frame for the freeway fix – 42 days of land and ramp closures instead of the 300 initially announced – the partial closure of the major north-south artery through the heart of downtown will be disruptive. But there is plenty of time both for the public and various transportation agencies involved to prepare. Transit agencies, in particular, need to gear up for the coming problems.... cont...

> I-5 repair project detailed; complete closures planned ... March 18/08
Interstate 5 downtown will be closed northbound for up to three weeks, followed by a similar closure southbound, as part of major repairs this summer, officials announced Monday. The back-to-back closures on more than a mile of downtown freeway are expected to cause significant congestion around downtown Sacramento – with ripple effects to other freeways and surface streets. State highway officials called the repair plan aggressive and innovative – something they would have shied away from a few years ago – and said it means necessary fixes on the decaying freeway will be far faster than expected. In total, the project will involve 42 days of various lane and ramp closures... cont...

> Video: I-5 Repair Project May Be Done Sooner ... March 17/08
Local contractor CC Myers is promising to finish the most disruptive part of a major Interstate 5 repair project in downtown Sacramento in just 60 days, lessening the pain for commuters... cont...

> Caltrans Announces Plan to Fix I-5 in 40 Days ... March 17/08
Saying the plan is to "Get in, get it done, and get out," Caltrans this afternoon announced a plan that will speed up repairs on Interstate 5 through downtown Sacramento. Caltrans Monday announced a change in strategy that will let them fix a crumbling three-quarter-mile section of the freeway in just over 40 days instead of the 305 working days first projected, announced Caltrans chief Will Kempton. There is, however, a downside: during those two months, Interstate 5 will be partially closed causing major traffic back ups. Work is scheduled to begin in late May... cont...

> CC Myers Promises Quicker Fix For I-5 ... March 17/08
Local contractor C.C. Myers is promising to finish the most disruptive part of a major Interstate 5 repair project in downtown Sacramento in just 60 days, lessening the pain for commuters. A three-quarter-mile stretch of freeway near J Street known as the "boat section" is built below water level of the nearby Sacramento River and has been leaking. Myers, whose construction company is based in Rancho Cordova, received a contract for nearly $27 million in February to do repairs... cont...

> Caltrans Web site will follow progress of major I-5 repair ... March 1/08
Caltrans on Friday unveiled a Web site created to help drivers get by upcoming repair work on a busy, crumbling stretch of Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento. Dubbed the "Boat Section," the three-quarter-mile stretch of I-5 from R Street to Capitol Mall will undergo major renovation beginning this spring. Caltrans officials estimate the fix could take as long as 300 days. The Boat Section was built below the water level of the Sacramento River. Sand and silt have blocked the drainage system for the roadway -- and that has led to cracks and pavement deterioration. The Web site, www.fixI-5.com has up-to-date information and live images from traffic cameras posted at several locations. There is also a question-and-answer feature about the project.... cont...

> Even with I-5 work, downtown business goes on ... Feb 29/08
Businesses will be open even when lanes are closed for repairs on Interstate 5 downtown starting in April, and Caltrans is working to help them get out the word. Business owners can link their Web sites to an "Open for Business" section at www.FixI-5.com a site set up by the California Department of Transportation. Caltrans is encouraging businesses to use a link to the site to advertise and offer specials and incentives to encourage people to shop and dine during the repairs. C.C. Myers Inc. was awarded a $27 million contract to repair the worn-out stretch of I-5 in 114 days, about one-third the original estimate. To help businesses prepare, Caltrans today is unveiling the Web site and kicking off an advertising campaign with a banner on the Capitol Mall overpass on I-5. About 200,000 motorists will pass by the sign every day.... cont...

> C.C. Myers wins contract to rebuild I-5 downtown ... Feb 28/08
Builder C.C. Myers Inc. has been awarded a $27 million contract by the state Department of Transportation to repair a worn-out section of Interstate 5 that passes through downtown Sacramento. C.C. Myers, of Rancho Cordova, was the low bidder among six contractors vying for the project. Its bid came in well below a Caltrans engineering estimate of $44.3 million. The company, which has made a name in the industry for fast turnarounds on high-profile road projects, said in its bid that it could fix the freeway in 114 days. Caltrans officials had estimated it would take 305 days. C.C. Myers hit or beat tight deadlines in the past such as the Labor Day 2007 replacement of a deck on the Bay Bridge and reconstruction of a collapsed freeway connector in Oakland, but is perhaps best known for replacing a fallen portion of the Santa Monica Freeway in 66 days after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, two months ahead of schedule.... cont...

> Video: CC Myers Gets I-5 Repair Contract ... Feb 9/08
The state has awarded a contract for nearly $27 million to Rancho Cordova builder C.C. Myers to repair a stretch of Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento... cont...