Del Norte officials and Caltrans prepare for closures on Highways 199 and 197, stress safety measures and outreach
Loading...
Summary
Caltrans and the Del Norte Local Transportation Commission described upcoming closures and safety countermeasures on US 199 and Highway 197, including temporary closures (estimated maximum waits of 15–20 minutes), possible bollards and other HM4-funded countermeasures, and a public information campaign using fact sheets and QuickMap.
Caltrans staff and Del Norte Local Transportation Commission members outlined plans this week to manage summer construction on US 199 and Highway 197, emphasizing safety measures and community outreach as closures begin.
At the commission’s April 7 meeting, staff said the project will include intermittent weekday closures expected on some Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays roughly between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Caltrans staff told commissioners the maximum allowable delay under their traffic-control plan is about 20 minutes; one Caltrans presenter summarized the most recent operational estimate as “15 to 20 minutes at the most.”
Commissioners stressed that even short closures could create dangerous behavior on local stretches where drivers attempt to pass in a two-way left-turn lane. One commissioner urged the agency to consider physical deterrents, saying the commission has previously reviewed “bollards” (plastic post delineators) as a low-cost measure to discourage unsafe passing in communities such as Smith River and neighboring towns.
Caltrans staff said the agency is evaluating a package of low-cost, federally eligible countermeasures under what was referred to in the meeting as HM4 funding: improved striping and pavement markings, enhanced signage, flashing beacons near sensitive locations and specialized guardrail to protect motorcyclists. Staff also noted that tree and rockfall hazards have been observed along several stretches and that the projects will include protective measures where practical.
Community communication will be a priority, staff said. The agency has prepared a one-page fact sheet and will post closure and emergency information to QuickMap and other Caltrans channels; staff said they will also coordinate signage and messaging with the Oregon Department of Transportation and use social media to reach travelers. A Caltrans presenter added that electronic message boards and print outreach are planned and that the fact sheet will be updated when a detailed closure schedule is available.
Public commenters and commissioners described recent near-miss incidents caused by rockfall and high-speed passing, underscoring the urgency of traffic-calming measures. The commission encouraged Caltrans to continue outreach to local residents, to coordinate with school transportation officials given at least one school bus route passes through the zones, and to consider community town-hall meetings to explain closure timing and local mitigations.
The commission and Caltrans representatives said they will share the fact sheet and QuickMap links with local officials and asked residents to monitor official channels for schedule updates.
