Friday, Feb. 03, 2012

Partial opening of Highway 165 slated next week

Paving and striping still need to be done

Highway 165 will open again to through traffic at midnight Tuesday, according to a California Department of Transportation official.

Chantel Miller, a Caltrans spokeswoman, said the $25.8 million Wolfsen Rehabilitation project, which has closed Highway 165 between highways 152 and 140 since October, will need some paving and striping after it re-opens. She estimated that the project is 90 percent finished.

"We anticipate being done with all the construction aspects of the job by the end of February," Miller said.

The paving and striping will require some intermittent one-way controlled traffic through the end of the month, Miller said.

The project's funding includes $8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money.

Miller said officials do not expect any weather-related issues, and haven't had any due to a mild, dry winter.

In September, officials said a complete closure of the highway for four months was preferable to two years of controlled one-way traffic. The road is primarily used by commuters trying to avoid Interstate 5 and by trucks carrying produce.

More work ahead

Though the construction portion is expected to be complete this month, the project as a whole is not scheduled to be cleared until the end of May, Miller said.

The Caltrans project includes putting down 15 miles of new asphalt, realigning Santa Fe Grade and Wolfson Road with Highway 165, widening the San Joaquin River Overflow and Salt Slough bridges and replacing the San Joaquin River Bridge.

To reach Highway 140 during the project, commuters can access Interstate 5 and Highway 33 from Highway 152.

Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562 or by email at tmiller@losbanos

enterprise.com.