California 26, December 18, 2022

DGC Crews Move Passing Lanes Project Forward

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is investing a fair amount of money into upgrading highways in the Yuba County area and one of them is the $131 million State Route 70 Safety Improvement and Passing Lanes Project that is being constructed by DeSilva Gates Construction (DGC).

The work began on April 18 last spring and should be completed in December 2023.

The work area covers a 9-mi. stretch between Laurellen Road and the South Honcut Creek Bridge. The project is

widening and paving shoulders to a minimum of 8 ft. in each direction; providing a continuous 14-ft. wide two-way leftturn lane (TWLTL); a 20-ft. clear recovery zone (CRZ); continuous passing lanes; a 6-ft. wide unpaved shoulder in addition to the paved shoulder for slow moving agriculture equipment; increasing paved shoulder width to 14 ft. at school bus stops to provide a safe area for loading and unloading school children; installing rumble strips on the shoulders and both sides of TWLTL or centerline; straightening horizontal curves to improve sight distance; flattening vertical curves to improve sight distance; widening and paving local road intersections to accommodate truck turn-

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Officials Give Approval of World’s Largest Demolition Plan

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) U.S. regulators approved a plan to demolish four dams on a California river and open up hundreds of miles of salmon habitat that would be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the world when it goes forward.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s unanimous vote on the lower Klamath River dams is the last major regulatory hurdle and the biggest milestone for a $500 million demolition proposal championed by Native American tribes and environmentalists for years. The project would return the lower half of California’s second-largest river to a free-flowing state for the first time in more than a century.

Native tribes that rely on the Klamath River and its salmon for their way of life have been a driving force behind bringing the dams down in a wild and remote area that spans the California and Oregon border. Barring any unforeseen complications, Oregon, California and the entity formed to oversee the project will accept the license transfer and could begin dam removal as early as this summer, proponents said.

“The Klamath salmon are coming home,” Yurok Chairman Joseph James said after the vote. “The people have earned this victory and with it, we carry on our sacred duty to the fish that have sustained our people since the beginning of time.”

The dams produce less than 2 percent of PacifiCorp’s power generation — enough to power about 70,000 homes — when they are running at full capacity, said Bob Gravely, spokesperson of the utility. But they often run at a far lower

capacity because of low water in the river and other issues, and the agreement that paved the way for the vote was ultimately a business decision, he said.

PacifiCorp would have had to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in fish ladders, fish screens and other conservation upgrades under environmental regulations that were not in place when the aging dams were first built. But with the deal approved, the utility’s cost is capped at $200 million, with another $250 million from a California voter-approved water bond.

“We’re closing coal plants and building wind farms and it

all just has to add up in the end,” he said of the demolition. “It’s not a one-to-one. You can make up that power by the way you operate the rest of your facilities or having energy efficiency savings so your customers are using less.”

Approval of the order to surrender the dams’ operating license is the bedrock of the most ambitious salmon restoration plan in history and the project’s scope — measured by the number of dams and the amount of river habitat that would reopen to salmon — makes it the largest of its kind in the world, said Amy Souers Kober, spokesperson of American Rivers, which monitors dam removals and advocates for river restoration.

More than 300 mi. of salmon habitat in the Klamath River and its tributaries would benefit, she said.

The decision is in line with a trend toward removing aging and outdated dams across the U.S. as they come up for license renewal and confront the same government-mandated upgrade costs as the Klamath River dams would have had.

Across the U.S., 1,951 dams have been demolished as of February, including 57 in 2021, American Rivers said. Most of those have come down in the past 25 years as facilities age and come up for relicensing.

Commissioners called the decision “momentous” and “historic” and spoke of the importance of taking the action during National Native American Heritage Month because of its importance to restoring salmon and reviving the river that is at the heart of the culture of several tribes in the region.  (All photos courtesy of Facebook/Caltrans.)

AGC’s 2023 Installation, Awards Gala to Be Held in Feb.

The 2023 Installation & Awards Gala, presented by Procore, will be held on Feb. 3, 2023, at the Fairmont San Francisco.

This black-tie event celebrates the construction industry’s achievements over the past year at an “Oscar-style” awards ceremony and the annual installation of AGC of California’s president and officers.

“We have much to celebrate — as companies, as an association and as an industry,” AGC of California said in a statement. “Over the past year, AGC of California and our members have seen growth and success. Together, we have improved our industry so you can continue to do what you do best: build California.”

Celebrating Best in California Construction

It’s not the magnitude of a building or breadth of a bridge that makes California’s construction industry great; it’s the groundbreakers and trailblazers at the forefront of these achievements who have built a legacy in California’s construction industry.

At this event, more than a dozen AGC of California members will receive one of the following

awards to honor their long-term service to AGC of California and the industry, their innovation, and their commitment to the community:

Constructor Awards: AGC of California’s Constructor Awards program recognizes its members’ achievements for their skill, unique undertakings and ability to address the most difficult challenges con-

tractor’s encounter. Only one prestigious “Constructor” sculpture is awarded in each category during the ceremony;

Construction Education Friend Award: The AGC of California Construction Education Friend Award recognizes individuals who made outstanding contributions to construction education efforts and the development of future construction workforce;

Achievement Awards: AGC of California Achievement Awards honor individuals for their outstanding contributions to the construction industry.

For more information and registration, visit https://web.agc-ca.org/events/AGCInstallation-Awards-Gala-presented-byProcore-7301/register

Measured by the number of dams and the amount of river habitat that would reopen to salmon, this makes it the largest demolition of its kind in the world.

The event recognizes Constructor Awards, Construction Education Friend Award, Achievement Awards.

This black-tie event celebrates the construction industry’s achievements over the past year at an “Oscarstyle” awards ceremony and the annual installation of AGC of California’s president and officers.

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Caltrans Prioritizes SR 70 Upgrades Due to Unsafe Highway

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ing movements; reconstructing driveways; replacing or extending culverts as needed; placing asphalt concrete overlay; and relocating utility poles.

The CRZ begins at the edge of the travel lanes, includes the paved and unpaved shoulder for 20 ft. and will be cleared of fixed objects such as utility poles, trees and ditches.

The upgrade is a priority for Caltrans.

“This segment of SR 70 has had 85 reported collisions from August 2010 and August 2013,” said Gilbert MohtesChan, public information officer of Caltrans District 3. “These collisions include seven fatalities and 32 reported injury accidents with the remainder being property damage only accidents. The number of fatal collisions along this section of highway was 3.8 times higher compared to the statewide average, qualifying this location for safety improvements. The proposed improvements are expected to reduce the collision rates at this location. Within the project limits, there are 136 driveways, 11 county roads, seven private roads and 22 farms/businesses. The school buses stop 26 times along SR 70 throughout the area to pick-up and drop-off school children.”

Federal and State funds are covering the cost of this project.

The section of SR 70 has two lanes in each direction.

“Maintaining access at all times for the dozens of driveways and local cross streets is a major challenge for the contractor," said a Caltrans representative. "There were a number of utility poles that needed to be relocated for this project.”

Caltrans is going all out to protect motorists and construction workers in the work zone.

“Motorists also should be watch out for flaggers handling intermittent traffic control along the corridor, as well as large orange traffic drums placed along the shoulder of the roadway,” stated the project web page. "Over the next two years, [the contractor] will be working at various locations during day and nighttime hours Monday through Saturday. Motorists should allow additional travel time and may expect intermittent traffic-interfering work, especially during overnight hours. Residents in the area may hear loud construction noise, including OSHA-required vehicle backup warning alarms. The contractor will maintain access to all driveways and cross streets during construction."

The speed limit in the construction zone has been lowered to 45 MPH.

Aside from SR 70, there are many other projects in District 3 that will be worked on over the next few months/years. The California Transportation Commission recently allocated $878 million for transportation infrastructure.

In this region, contractors will make the following upgrades:

• City of West Sacramento: $16 million for the I Street Bridge Deck Conversion Project. This project will repurpose and modernize the historic I Street Bridge to close an active transportation gap and foster economic development between low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods in West Sacramento and Sacramento. The project will construct and connect new Americans with Disabilities Act compliant bicycle/pedestrian ramps on both sides of the Sacramento River and enhance the upper deck to facilitate and encourage active transportation between the two cities;

• Nevada County: $13.8 million for State Route 49 multi-

include seven fatalities and 32 reported injury accidents with the remainder being property damage only acci dents.

modal corridor improvements;

• City of Rancho Cordova: $19.9 million for a Zinfandel Drive bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing;

• Yuba County: $21 million for the West Linda Safe Routes to School Project;

• City of Williams: $9.3 million for the E Street Complete Streets Project;

• Town of Paradise: $12.3 million for the Neal Gateway Project; $6.7 million for the Skyway Link Project; and $22

million for the Pentz Road Pathway Project;

• City of Placerville: $15.4 million for the first phase of Placerville Drive bicycle and pedestrian facilities improvements;

• Butte County: $7.8 million for the South Oroville Bicycle and Pedestrian Connectivity Project;

• City of Sacramento: $1.1 million for the Envision Broadway Project in Oak Park.  CEG

(All photos courtesy of Caltrans.)

The work area covers a 9-mi. stretch between Laurellen Road and the South Honcut Creek Bridge.

PIRTEK

Caltrans Employees Receive Public Servants Highest Honor

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently presented four heroic employees of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Award, the highest honor California bestows on its public servants.

“Our colleagues Travis, Matthew, Ryan and James performed brave, selfless acts, putting their own lives at risk to help save the lives of others,” said Tony Tavares, Caltrans director. “I am proud to join Governor Newsom in celebrating their heroism.”

Caltrans Equipment Operator Travis Sutton earned the Medal of Valor for his heroic actions to save the life of a woman after her vehicle went over a snow-covered embank-

ment in Butte County in March 2021, performing a dangerous rescue down steep terrain in extremely cold weather.

Caltrans Highway Maintenance Leadworker Matthew Piña received the Medal of Valor for saving a man’s life by dissuading him from jumping off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in January 2021.

Caltrans Highway Maintenance Worker Ryan Aguirre earned the Medal of Valor for saving his coworker when an errant vehicle was speeding out of control toward them in November 2020. Aguirre risked his own safety by pulling his coworker out from under their maintenance truck just before the crash occurred and, following the collision, offered aid to those injured.

Caltrans

received the Medal of Valor for his efforts while off duty to save a man’s life when he came across a head-on collision that had occurred in rural San Bernardino County in April 2020. Burkhouse used his experience as a former paramedic to assist the injured driver.

The State Employee Medal of Valor award is the highest honor California bestows on its public servants. Gov. Edmund G. Brown Sr. presented the first awards in 1959. Since then, more than 700 state employees have earned that honor for their courage and selflessness in the face of danger. 

(All photos courtesy of Caltrans.)

Crowley, Humboldt Bay to Build State’s First Wind Hub

Crowley has signed an agreement with the Port of Humboldt Bay to exclusively negotiate to be the developer and operator of a terminal to serve as California’s first hub for offshore wind energy installations.

Through Crowley’s Wind Services group, the company will enter into negotiations with the port to lease and serve as the port’s developer of the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal. The services provided will support tenants in the manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind floating platforms, use of large heavy cargo vessels and providing crewing and marshalling services in the Pacific waters.

This public-private partnership will support both federal and state government goals to develop more American offshore wind power and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The U.S. Department of Interior announced that waters off the coast of Humboldt Bay areas will be part of the first offshore wind lease sale on the U.S. West Coast on Dec. 6.

California has set a goal to create at least

5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. The Humbold offshore wind areas alone are projected to provide 1.6 GW of energy, capable of supply power to up to 1.6 million homes. The federal lease auction also will include the Morro Bay area, which offers 3 GW of projected energy.

Utilizing a grant from the Humboldt County Headwaters Fund in 2021, the Port of Humboldt Bay developed a conceptual master plan for the site. That led to a $10.45 million grant from the California Energy Commission to conduct of technical studies, preliminary design and pre-permitting activities. The port anticipates completing permitting and design in mid-2024. The new agreement with Crowley focuses on a 98-acre Phase 1, with options to expand on adjoining land in additional phases.

Humboldt Bay will mark Crowley’s second dedicated US wind service terminal project. Design and engineering are underway in Salem, Massachusetts, for the Crowley terminal as part of a public-private partnership that will support offshore wind projects in New England.

Equipment Operator James Burkhouse

Equipment Operator

Travis Sutton Highway Maintenance Leadworker

Matthew Piña

Highway Maintenance Worker Ryan Aguirre

Equipment Operator James Burkhouse

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