The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced a series of project work and associated traffic impacts for the week of October 12 through October 16. Residents and travelers in Eastern Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties can expect various road closures and potential delays on State Routes 58, 158, 168, and U.S. 395 as crews perform maintenance, rehabilitation, and infrastructure upgrades.
Work schedules are subject to change due to factors such as weather, traffic incidents, and material or equipment availability.
In Bishop, the Pavement Project on U.S. 395 and State Route 168 W (W. Line Street) will involve intermittent lane and intersection closures during both day and overnight hours. Crews are scheduled to perform electrical work, grind new pavement for smoothness, and lay down permanent striping. The speed limit in this area, from Jay Street to Wye Road, is reduced to 25 mph. Work is planned Monday through Friday, from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, and drivers may experience brief delays.
Further south, the Manzanar Pavement Project on U.S. 395 between Fort Independence and the southern end of Independence has shifted all traffic to the new southbound lanes while northbound lanes undergo rehabilitation. Southbound traffic has also shifted back to the new pavement of the southbound lanes of U.S. 395 from the southern end of Independence to 2.5 miles south of Manzanar National Historic Site. Turns onto several cross streets from U.S. 395 within Independence are temporarily unavailable. Speed limits in this section are reduced to 55 mph and 25 mph within Independence. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, and drivers should anticipate delays.
In Lone Pine, the Sidewalks Project on U.S. 395 continues with the outside lane and shoulders closed for drainage, sidewalk, curb, and gutter work. These closures are active southbound from Teya Road to Inyo Street, and northbound from Locust Road to E. Lubken Avenue. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, with potential for brief delays.
Travelers on U.S. 395 from Little Lake to Cinder Road, south of Coso Junction, will encounter intermittent lane closures as crews lay down new pavement. This work is scheduled Monday through Thursday, from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, and may cause brief delays.
North of Bishop, the Lee Vining Pavement Rehabilitation Project on U.S. 395, from State Route 120 W to Picnic Grounds Road, involves the replacement of sewers and drainage systems. The outside lane and shoulders in both directions will be closed 24 hours a day during the week, reopening on weekends. Additional intermittent lane closures, along with temporary closures of driveways and intersections, may occur as needed. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and brief delays are possible.
On State Route 158 near June Lake, utility crews will replace poles from N. Shore Drive to Big Rock Road on Wednesday, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. This operation will utilize one-way traffic control, and drivers should expect delays of up to 5 minutes.
Near Walker, the Topaz Cape Seal Operation on U.S. 395 from Hackney Drive to the Nevada state line will continue chip seal applications. This project will implement one-way traffic control. Work is scheduled Tuesday through Thursday from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm, and on Friday from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm. Drivers may experience delays of up to 20 minutes.
Further afield in Eastern Kern County, maintenance work on bridges along State Route 58 from Cameron Canyon Road to Business Route 58 at Exit 165 near Mojave will close the outside lane and shoulder in both directions. This work is scheduled Tuesday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and may result in brief delays.
Several of these significant projects have received substantial funding. The Lee Vining Pavement Rehabilitation Project, for example, received $26.24 million, the Manzanar Pavement Project received $44.64 million, and the Bishop Pavement Project received $18.36 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. California is estimated to receive $41.9 billion from IIJA over five years to rebuild and improve its transportation system. Additionally, the Lee Vining, Manzanar, and Bishop projects received funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, which provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually. These funds help accelerate road projects through their construction phases.
Caltrans urges all travelers to be attentive to workers in highway zones, reduce speed in marked cone zones, and move over when possible to provide additional clearance for work crews. Drivers are advised to be safe and alert in work zones. Live traffic conditions are available via QuickMap at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or through the QuickMap App on mobile devices. For those with sensory disabilities or needing information in languages other than English, Angela Bates can be contacted at (760) 881-7145 or TTY 711.
