Caltrans uses spider excavators to continue to stabilize the hillside at Last Chance Grade. Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 1

After releasing a new schedule for the slide removal project on U.S. 101 at Last Chance Grade, Caltrans has responded to those with questions about the timeline.

Caltrans' response also included an explanation into why crews can't work on the project at night. The new schedule takes effect July 6.

From a Caltrans District 1 Facebook post Friday:

Caltrans’ accelerated schedule at Last Chance Grade south of Crescent City on U.S. 101, which is projected to shave months off of long closures in the area, has prompted questions about why night work is not currently a practical or efficient option for this project. [Note: The upcoming schedule is included at the bottom of this post for your convenience]

Unfortunately, night work is inefficient due to site constraints and the location of the slide. Fog is one of our main challenges in this coastal location. Even during the day, fog can have significant impacts on our work progress and worker safety. On top of that, the location of the slide also limits where we can place lights without them getting damaged by rockfall. We are currently removing debris at the high end of the slide which can make removing material safely impossible without proper lighting and visibility. This new accelerated schedule will hopefully advance the project to a point when extensive night work could be implemented.

We will be working at night by hauling off truckloads of debris during the daylight hours and continuing until 1 a.m. nightly to maximize production during closures. This hauling work will not affect traffic flows.

Safety is our No. 1 priority for motorists, the contractors, and crews on site.

UNTIL TUESDAY, JULY 6, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY the roadway is OPEN until 9 a.m., CLOSED from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., OPEN from 11 a.m. to noon, CLOSED from noon to 2 p.m., OPEN from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., CLOSED from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and OPEN after 5 p.m. On FRIDAYS the roadway is OPEN until 9 a.m., CLOSED from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., OPEN from 11 a.m. to noon, CLOSED from noon to 2 p.m., and OPEN after 2 p.m. At all open times, including weekends, motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays.

BEGINNING TUESDAY, JULY 6, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY the roadway will be OPEN until 8 a.m., CLOSED from 8 a.m. to noon, OPEN from noon to 3 p.m., closed from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and OPEN after 7 p.m. On FRIDAYS the roadway will be OPEN until 8 a.m., CLOSED from 8 a.m. to noon, and OPEN after noon. At all open times, including weekends, motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays.

Please visit lastchancegrade.com for more details

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