Second Phase of Highway Widening Starts

New Highway 4 roadway, seen here at Loveridge, will be coming to Somersville.

Caltrans announced today that work has begun on the next phase of the State Route 4 Widening Project in Contra Costa County.

Phase Two, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013, will widen SR-4 to eight lanes (three regular traffic lanes and one bus/carpool lane in each direction) from the Somersville Road interchange to the Contra Loma Boulevard interchange. Auxiliary lanes will be added to the on and off-ramps at both interchanges.

In addition, the Somersville Road interchange will be widened and reconstructed with a median wide enough to accommodate mass transit, providing BART a viable location to expand rail service to eastern Contra Costa County.

“Caltrans is excited that the next phase of this critical congestion relief project is progressing,” said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim. “The people of Contra Costa County can clearly see that their taxpayer dollars are being put to work to benefit this region.”

This is the second of five planned construction projects to widen SR-4, its interchanges, and local roadways from west of Loveridge Road to the State Route 160 interchange. The total cost for the entire project is $585 million, including $100 million from Proposition 1B.

“Caltrans is committed to improving mobility throughout California,” stated Caltrans District 4 Director Bijan Sartipi. “This commitment includes partnering with our local congestion management agencies and transit agencies to provide congestion relief. Together, we will provide new transportation options for east Contra Costa County commuters.”

“This project serves as a strong validation for Contra Costa County voters, who passed Measure J in 2004 to pay for transportation improvements along the State Route 4 corridor, as well as other key transportation projects in the county,” stated David Durant, CCTA Chair. “This local revenue source has made all the difference in our ability to move this project along on schedule and to get going on the next phase, which will take us from Contra Loma Blvd. to ‘G’ Street.”

The $76 million project received $6 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. The project is a joint venture between Caltrans, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). To date, the state has allocated nearly $8 billion in Proposition 1B funds for transportation purposes statewide.

The prime contractor for the project is R & L Brosamer, Inc. of Walnut Creek. For current information, call the project Hotline at (925) 756-0721 or go to the website at http://widensr4.org.


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