Caltrans, District 10

CALTRANS NOW OFFERS TEMPORARY PERMITS FOR BUSINESSES TO OPERATE ON STATE HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY SACRAMENTO Restaurants, retailers and other businesses are eligible to temporarily operate on the state highway right of way (ROW) under permits available from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). These permits follow Governor Gavin Newsom’s October 28 Executive Order N-83-20 directing Caltrans to develop a process for issuing temporary permits to cities and cou...nties so businesses located along state highways can expand dining and retail options onto sidewalks and parking areas where safe. These encroachment permits will allow many establishments to expand or reopen their operations while adhering to physical distancing and other safety guidelines, said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. This order is part of the state’s continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It temporarily suspends for 120 days the state law that, except for limited activities authorized for special events, prohibits commercial services and activities such as vending within the state highway ROW. Caltrans will grant the encroachment permits to cities and counties allowing businesses to operate outdoors on state highway ROWs that are wide enough to accommodate seating and other vending activities. This expands on guidance Caltrans issued this summer for public seating in the state highway right of way ROW. Federal Highway Administration approval is required for any installation within the ROW, and Caltrans will submit completed permit applications for approval on a case-by-case basis. Cities and counties may apply for a permit and access additional information such as guidelines by visiting the Commercial Activities on Caltrans Highway ROW at https://dot.ca.gov/prog/traffic-operations//commercial-row Once a city or county has obtained a permit, business owners must work with their city or county to operate in the approved area. Caltrans continues to provide the general public and commercial motorists with a safe and reliable transportation system. The department is maintaining all critical functions during the pandemic, including roadway access to medical facilities and convenient transport of essential goods and services throughout the state.

The 3 Mountain Passes in District 10 - Monitor/SR-89, Ebbetts/SR-4 & Sonora/SR-108 - will remain closed through the weekend due to freezing temperatures at night and approaching weather. Yosemite has also closed Tioga Pass in the park. These passes will be re-assessed on Monday. For highway conditions and other related news, please follow District 10 social media on Facebook and Twitter, as well as our statewide traffic map at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ .

We're looking at a wet finish to the week, according to our friends at the National Weather Service in Sacramento. There are expectations of snow in the Sierra above 5,500 feet on Friday, and rain falling at the lower levels, so please prepare accordingly if you are traveling this week or this weekend.

UPGRADES TO SR-99/FULKERTH ROAD INTERCHANGE IN TURLOCK INCLUDE NEW RAMPS, TRAFFIC SIGNALS & FULKERTH BIKE LANE If you’ve been driving on State Route 99 through Turlock this fall, you’ve been enjoying the improvements that have been made during the SR-99/Fulkerth Road Interchange Project. This a key piece of transportation infrastructure in Stanislaus County. An average of 87,000 vehicles pass through the interchange in Turlock each day, and 17 percent of those are large fiv...e-axle trucks helping fuel the economy. Caltrans has been working with the City of Turlock and the Stanislaus Council of Governments on this project, rebuilding and realigning ramps so there are two lanes on each, with room to accommodate future carpool lanes and ramp metering. There are also brightly painted bicycle lanes on Fulkerth, inviting cyclists to enjoy the new interchange and smooth road surface on Fulkerth. This is part of Caltrans' commitment to the environment and active transportation, encouraging residents to take their bikes. Shoulder and sidewalks have also been added to Fulkerth, which has expanded to six lanes. The project also installed new traffic signals at the intersection of the northbound and southbound SR-99 ramps with Fulkerth Road.

District 10 will maintain the temporary closure of its 3 mountain passes through the coming weekend. With freezing temperatures at night and snow expected this weekend, District 10 will re-assess the situation November 16. Here are weekend snow projections from the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

District 10 will maintain its temporary closure of 3 mountain passes - Monitor/SR-89, Ebbetts/SR-4 & Sonora/SR-108 - through the coming weekend. With freezing temperatures at night and snow expected this weekend, District 10 will re-assess the situation on Monday, November 16. For updates on Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park - this is State Route 120 before entering the park - visit the park's web site at http://nps.gov/yose/index.htm. The park maintains roads in the park and manages the openings and closings as the highway winds through the park.