Construction and safety: County and Caltrans representatives updated the Fish Camp Planning Advisory Council on the SilverTip highway widening project, saying underground utilities and culvert replacements are finished and that grading and base work will start soon as crews build up the road section.
The update matters because the work changes traffic patterns, moves the general-store entrance and parking, and shifts winter maintenance responsibilities — all of which affect residents’ access and public safety.
Officials said crews replaced two culverts with assistance from Caltrans, finished most underground work and have graded Fish Camp Lane, including a new right-turn lane and a new parking lot north of the general store. County staff said the new store entrance will be on the north side and the store site will be raised about 18 inches; the existing parking in front of the store will not be available from the highway once the project opens the Fish Camp Lane entrance.
Project staff told the council the Army Corps of Engineers–related wetland work is planned to begin in mid-August and finish in September or October, with a larger site grading push expected next spring. Archaeological monitors and tribal monitors were on site for ground-disturbing work and that monitoring recently finished; staff said they will remobilize monitors if further excavation occurs. When asked whether historic foundations exposed on the site would be preserved, officials said they are conducting analysis and the current plan would remove some exposed foundation remains but design adjustments are still possible pending findings.
Residents asked about dust and rock debris from blasting and rock work. Staff said they will repurpose and spread some rock on site and use material for retaining features; some rock will remain on site but crews will clean up where practical. On local drainage, project staff said they installed a French drain and replaced leaking culverts in problem areas, including a new 36-inch culvert under one gas-station area to reduce leaks onto the highway.
Parking and winter operations drew sustained discussion. County and contractor representatives said the new parking lot will have about 16 stalls in an L-shaped paved area; a dirt area north of the lot will remain as snow storage and will not be plowed by state crews. After construction the county will no longer be responsible for parking-area snow removal on the store’s private parking lot; snow removal and signage will be the responsibility of the new lot owner or the entity the county contracts with. Speakers asked that signage for no-parking seasons and speed warnings be reviewed and potentially relocated; officials said responsibility depends on the sign location (Caltrans for state right-of-way, county for county roads, private property owner otherwise).
Council members and residents urged clearer signage and coordination on winter safety; county staff offered to convene a meeting with Caltrans, county roads, the store owner and local stakeholders before winter. Several residents reported short-duration traffic delays at one-lane traffic control (seven to eight minutes), and project staff said they expect the work to accelerate and visible changes to appear over the next weeks.
Public-safety and enforcement issues around the new layout — including where vehicles might back up on grades and where people will park in winter — were repeatedly raised. County staff said enforcement (for speed or illegal parking) falls to law enforcement agencies such as CHP; SCOPE volunteers and county staff discussed limits on citation authority for volunteers and emphasized safety and de-escalation rather than enforcement.
Where this goes next: project staff asked stakeholders to send specific GIS or map issues to county staff, and agreed to provide updates as wetlands permits and final grading proceed.