UPDATE: On August 14, 2014 things were running fairly smoothly through Murphys, even with the holdup. There was a Caltrans
truck parked nearby.
If you leave around 6:30 AM you won't be held up as long, we are told. Yesterday afternoon between 2:30 and 3:30 PM we hear the backup was long and the wait around 20 minutes each way.
UPDATE: August 13, 2014: CHP is already receiving complaints about the traffic backup all the way from Murphys to Hathaway Pines.
The safety issues are not as bad as yesterday, though, and a CHP officer is sitting along Hwy 4 in the middle of Murphys. Be prepared to stop twice and wait.
UPDATE: August 13, 2014: Be extra careful driving down Hwy 4 this morning to work. We received many complaints about unsafe conditions both directions yesterday, as did CHP.
UPDATE at 5 PM: Just received an email from Rick Estrada at Caltrans. According to him " Caltrans and contractor George Reed are working on a rubber asphalt overlay project that will improve 21.6 miles
of State Route 4 in Calaveras County, with the work beginning at Davis ranch Road (just east of Douglas Flat) and continuing to Meko Drive (8 miles east of Arnold).
The signs you refer to are the changeable message signs that are used to alert motorists to construction and travel delays.
The first step in the project was to remove some of the center line striping, while the process of 'digouts' - replacing distressed pavement in various locations - and repairing potholes is scheduled to begin this week.
Work will continue into October and there will be one-way traffic control with flaggers directing motorists as they travel through the work zone.
Motorists should expect delays of 10 to 15 minutes.
Contractors trucks and heavy equipment are to enter and exit traffic in a safe manner, and flaggers will be assisting in this process in many locations.
When the project is complete, motorists will enjoy a smoother ride and new striping on this 21.6 mile stretch of State Route 4.
We will work to get more notification distributed for the upcoming planned work." Rick Estrada
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Earlier today, we emailed Caltrans in Stockton that we would like more information about the work being done on 22 miles between Douglas Flat and Alpine County on Hwy 4.
They told us they had no idea and no records of it, but would check and let us know. We had several complaints that there was work being done in Murphys today without any Caltrans people around.
Now we see that a driver has called CHP with a complaint of not enough signs on the upper Murphys Grade Rd (Hwy 4 above Murphys). Who the company really is and what they are supposed to be doing is unclear.
There were two men who spent a couple of weeks running in and out of traffic on Hwy 4 and marking the highway with spray cans. No signs up, just darting on and off the highway. We assume this is all part of the same work project.
Please be extra careful on Hwy 4 as this company seems to be having problems knowing what to do to promote the safety of drivers and even of their own people.
2 comments:
It took me over 1/2 hour to get from Penn Gulch Rd. in Murphys to the traffic light in Murphys - I finally turned around at the light as there was still no movement. This was between 3-4 pm, wen peoplel are trying to get up and down the hill. What a mess!
The flagg girl in murphys almost got hit by a pickup coming the other way. What a mess and what a joke these people are. I saw NO Caltrans people anywhere.
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