Gird Rd. to I-15 segment completion expected by end of 2016

The construction to widen State Route 76 from two lanes to four between South Mission Road and Interstate 15 began in November 2014 and is expected to be complete in 2016.

The milestones completed during 2015 included completion of a second eastbound lane between South Mission Road and Gird Road, allowing for traffic to use one lane in each direction on that part while work is being performed on the westbound lanes in that area. The expected milestones for 2016 include completion of all four lanes between Gird Road and Interstate 15.

"Sometime in summer, probably early summer, they will be opening up the lanes between Gird Road and I-15," said California Department of Transportation project manager Karen Jewel.

Because the segment between Gird Road and just west of Old Highway 395 utilizes a new alignment, phased work was not necessary to accommodate existing traffic.

"I think they're going to be able to open up that whole alignment at one time," Jewel said. "They will finish up that earthwork and get those lanes in by summer. Then they'll be able to do the work on the existing alignment probably by fall."

The existing Highway 76 is 30 feet wide on average. The widened road will average 44 feet of paved surface in each direction which equates to two travel lanes 12 feet wide along with inside and outside shoulder lanes 10 feet wide, and the road will also include turn lanes, acceleration and deceleration lanes, and barriers.

During 2015 the hauling of fill to the alignment on the southern part of the road between South Mission Road and Gird Road was followed by paving a two-lane road on top of that fill. That allowed all traffic to be moved to what will eventually be the eastbound lanes while work is being performed on the eventual westbound lanes.

"The biggest milestone happened in October when they did the traffic switch," Jewel said.

Once the northern lanes are completed the segment from Mission Road to Gird Road will also be a four-lane highway.

"It will just be two lanes from Mission to Gird for most of next year," Jewel said.

The work also includes improvements to the park-and-ride on the northwest corner of Highway 76 and Old Highway 395. The park-and-ride itself will be expanded, the grade will be flattened, truck parking and a bus terminal will be added, and the improvements will also include lighting and charging stations for electric vehicles. During 2015 work began on cutting the slope.

"They've now hit some harder rock and they're putting together a blasting plan," Jewel said. "That will probably happen in early 2016."

Due to environmental constraints based on habitat breeding seasons, vegetation clearing and pile driving are allowed only between mid-September and mid-February. River flow issues require any work within the river to be performed between May and October. During 2015 the contractor and subcontractors began the bridge over Live Oak Creek. "The abutments are now done," Jewel said.

The widening includes an alignment which will cross over the San Diego County Water Authority's Second Aqueduct approximately half a mile west of Interstate 15. The bridge over the aqueduct will provide approximately eight feet of vertical clearance between the bottom of the bridge and the ground. Since the new bridge crossing will hinder the SDCWA's ability to maintain, repair, or replace the pipelines under the bridge an agreement was negotiated to reline the CWA pipelines impacted by the bridge crossing and the pipeline rehabilitation preceded the work on the Caltrans bridge which began in fall 2015. During January, the 140 foot long girders which will be placed over the abutments are expected to arrive.

"Basically most structures work will be completed next year," Jewel said.

The vegetation clearing in early 2015 allowed for utility relocation. "We have begun some of the utilities and sewer work between Mission and Gird Road. That will continue," Jewel said.

In addition to electric, telephone, and cable utility line relocation, the Rainbow Municipal Water District water and sewer lines between Sweetgrass Lane and Gird Road will also be realigned to accommodate the highway widening. Jewel expects the utility work to be completed during 2016.

Some of the fill for the new road, including embankments, is from the Vessels property south of the San Luis Rey River, and hauling of that earthwork was also part of the 2015 activity. Some of the soil from that stockpile will be used for re-vegetation sites. The hauling of earthwork from the Vessels property will likely continue through summer 2016.

The new road will be elevated approximately six to eight feet above the old highway. The construction of the embankments will include the installation of five wild animal crossings. The crossings for the eastbound lanes have been completed and the crossings for the westbound lanes are part of the 2016 plans.