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Caltrans outlines Highway 46 roundabout, multi-year construction and limited night closures
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Summary
Caltrans presented plans for a State Route 43/46 reconstruction that includes a new roundabout, a replaced BNSF rail bridge and a lowered roadway profile, with construction planned April 2026–October 2029.
Caltrans presented details of the State Route 43/46 improvement project that will add a roundabout, replace the BNSF rail bridge and lower the SR‑46 profile to meet standard clearance.
Shelly Maggard, the Caltrans presenter, said project goals include improving safety and traffic operations by placing a roundabout at the SR‑43/46 intersection, improving ADA accessibility, reducing delays and supporting freight movement and local connectivity.
Key schedule and design details Maggard gave: advertising in July 2025, bid opening in September 2025, anticipated award in fall 2025 and a construction start in April 2026 to allow utility relocations to finish. Construction completion is projected in October 2029. The roundabout will be built as a single‑lane configuration with capacity ‘‘to be reconfigured into a 2 lane roundabout,’’ she said. Caltrans will replace the existing BNSF rail bridge and construct a temporary shoe‑fly track during the bridge work.
Caltrans warned of traffic impacts and closures. Maggard said night‑time single‑lane reversals with flagging are planned and that there will be ‘‘limited occasions where we will have a full closure of State Route 46’’—estimated at approximately four nights for bridge demolition and related work. Detours during full closures would route traffic via J Street to Pozzo and SR‑43, rejoining SR‑46, she said.
The agency identified coordination needs: PG&E and BNSF seasonal work windows (BNSF carries about 60 trains per day in the area), coordination with the adjacent high‑speed rail contractor and required permits. Maggard said Caltrans would work with the city manager’s office on public outreach and deploy commuter message signs on nearby freeways during closures.
Council members asked about detour routing and whether local streets would need extra signing or protection. Maggard said Caltrans will coordinate detour signage with the city and use the city’s public‑information channels, and noted the city’s reverse‑911 and social media for alerts.
No council action was taken; the presentation was informational and Caltrans said it will return with more detailed construction and public‑outreach plans as the project moves toward advertisement.
