1.1-mile tunnel to make highway safer would be California’s longest
Caltrans is teaming up with partner organizations to consider alternative infrastructure to the Last Chance Grade roadway on Highway 101. The three-mile stretch, in constant need of repair and maintenance, has had over $125 million invested in it since 1995. Despite consistent investment, landslides case the road to require fixes, prompting the need for a new solution.
After evaluating different proposals based on both cultural and environmental factors, Caltrans and the Partners decided on a tunnel. The proposed 1.1-mile long tunnel would be the longest in Caltrans history and would require creative engineering against nature’s aggression. Northern California’s seismic activity and frequent rainfall has challenged previous attempts at protecting the roadway, making the tunnel solution the most viable.
Striking a balance between minimizing ecological disturbance and increasing stability, the tunnel project will cost between $1.75 billion and $3.25 billion. Though not yet secured, funding will be sought through federal, state and local sources.
According to the project manager of the California Department of Transportation’s Last Chance Grade Project, Lianna Winkler-Prins, “By eliminating a long-standing hazard on U.S. Highway 101, the tunnel would improve roadway safety, reduce costly emergency repairs and ensure dependable access for rural and tribal communities.”
