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Caltrans outlines April starts for Timbers Boulevard and Elk Valley projects; unveils large Del Norte entry monuments
Summary
Caltrans told the Del Norte County Board that Timbers Boulevard left‑turn improvements and the Elk Valley roundabout are slated to begin in April, while rock removal at the Narrows will require daytime blasting and temporary closures; renderings of two 13‑by‑18 ft and coastal monuments were shown and two local Clean California grants were confirmed.
Caltrans representatives updated the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors on several transportation projects and two Clean California‑funded entrance monuments, saying construction work is likely to begin in April and that temporary daytime closures will be needed for a rock‑removal phase.
"The Timbers Boulevard safety improvement project ... has been awarded to Tidewater and they're estimated for it's a short project, 90 working days," Richard Mullen, Caltrans deputy district director for Eureka, told the board. He said the contractor and Caltrans staff will finalize an exact start date after weather and contract submittals are settled.
Mullen said the agency also recommends awarding the US‑199/Elk Valley roundabout contract and anticipates work beginning this spring. On the larger Del Norte STA effort — which includes blasting rock at the Narrows to open the highway — Caltrans warned that containment measures will be needed to prevent debris entering the river and that closures will be required to keep the work safe.
"Their closures will be from on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays for 4 hours. That's 10 to 2," Mullen said, adding that the preliminary estimate for the duration of the Narrows work could approach a year depending on contractor methods and how the rock fractures.
Julia Peterson, the Caltrans presenter for the entry monument designs, showed renderings for two monuments funded through the Clean California program. The 199 monument will feature three‑dimensional bears; Peterson described it as "13 feet tall and 18 feet wide." The coastal monument will include elk, salmon and a California poppy motif, with three 6‑foot salmon sculptures at the base.
Peterson said the elk relief will protrude about six inches and the salmon elements are intended to be interactive features that the public can sit on or photograph with. She said designers prioritized durability and vandal‑resistance in materials and shape.
Caltrans also reported two local Clean California grants are under way: a multi‑site Yurok project funded at $5,000,000 and downtown Crescent City improvements. "They're well on their way and they're in construction now," Peterson told the board.
Board members and residents pressed Caltrans on outreach and traveler alternatives during the Narrows closures. Mullen said Caltrans will use a communication plan similar to the one used during the highway fire response and will coordinate with Oregon and emergency personnel. Tamara Layton, executive director of the Del Norte Local Transportation Commission, and several residents emphasized the projects’ safety benefits and urged robust public notification.
The board thanked Caltrans for the progress and emphasized the need for timely outreach as work approaches. Caltrans said it will return with contractor plans and finer scheduling information as submittals are completed.
