Buckhorn

The Buckhorn Grade Improvement Project is located on Highway 299 from near the Trinity/Shasta County line to approximately 7 miles to the east down the grade to Yankee Gulch.  The project is being developed by the California Department of Transportation in conjunction with our local county partners to address the following:

Current Problems
Accident rates are 50% higher than other similar routes
Frequent closures due to accidents and weather
Maintenance costs are three times the cost of similar routes
Roadway excludes interstate trucks
Environmental concerns due to erosion and possible hazardous spills
Long detour for oversize loads or during closures

Proposed Improvements
Improve safety and reduce accident rate
Reduce traffic delays and travel times
Allow interstate trucks to utilize this route
Reduce maintenance costs and erosion
Increase the reliability of the route
Maintain 45 mph design speed

Current Status
The environmental field surveys have been completed and are being incorporated in the draft environmental document.  Caltrans design engineers are incorporating this field data into the preliminary design to minimize the environmental impact of the project and provide a roadway alignment which ties into the existing alignment in several locations.  This alignment will allow for design and construction of smaller, more easily funded sections of the entire project, which is currently estimated at around $180 million.

A portion of the needed funding, $5.6 million was provided for the project in the last federal highway bill.  Some of these funds have already been committed to enhance two safety projects along Buckhorn Grade currently in design.  These enhanced safety projects will result in alignments that conform to the overall Buckhorn Grade alignment and eliminate costly rework.  Caltrans, in coordination with our local partners, is also attempting to acquire additional funding to construct sections of the bigger project. 

Caltrans is currently on schedule to deliver the preliminary alignment alternative and an approved environmental document by August, 2008.  If additional funding is secured, construction of a section of the project could begin as early as March, 2011.