WASHINGTON, Calif. — The main road connecting the small mountain town of Washington, California to jobs, schools and emergency services will close for several days.
Caltrans said the project will provide much-needed safety improvements on Highway 20, but residents are concerned about their own safety and income while the road is closed.
Washington Fire Chief Mike Stewart said he spent two years urging transportation officials to reconsider the plan, but Caltrans is moving forward with the closure in two phases over 12 days.
"It was made very clear they were going to do what they were going to do... and I’ll be on pins and needles," Stewart said.
The full closure will be in effect at two locations. It started Sunday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. and will end at noon on Friday, Oct. 6.
The first closure will take place in the Lowell Hill segment between the Omega Overlook and Bear Valley. Work is anticipated to finish Sunday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. Crews then will move the closure location west to the White Cloud segment between the White Cloud U.S. Forest Service and Campground and Washington Road.
Officials said a safety review of that section of road over the last three years showed the number of collisions was well above the state average for that type of road.
Stewart worries that an emergency could happen during the closure.
This summer, his volunteer fire department responded to the 35-acre Highway Fire, which came very close to Washington.
If something like that happened during this road closure, it would be "catastrophic," Stewart said.
Stewart also worries about the inconvenience to people who work and send their kids to school in nearby Grass Valley and Nevada City; that commute will be at least an hour longer each way.
There could also be delays if someone needs medical attention in Washington.
Caltrans spokesperson Jeremy Linder said the agency has a plan for that.
"If a 911 call comes in, we have CHP at our closures," Linder said. "They immediately contact our crews, and we do the work necessary to get things out of the way and get that road passable."
Despite those assurances, many people in the mountain town feel the construction closure is more trouble than it's worth.
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