Down on Main Street

Traffic is backing up on Main Street between Sierra Park and Minaret Road owing to a $3.9 million Caltrans grinding and repaving project. The project began in early August at U.S. 395 and has been working its way up Hwy 203 toward the MMSA Main Lodge. The work will be done in four stages:

1) 395 to Sierra Park Rd expected to take four days

2) Sierra Park Rd to Minaret Rd expected to take four days

3) Minaret Rd to Mammoth Knolls Rd expected to take one day

4) Mammoth Knolls Rd to MMSA Main Lodge expected to take six days

To complete the project there will be shoulder backing, raising utility covers and striping, which will require lane closures. No parking will be allowed between the Knolls and the Main Lodge on Aug. 19, when grinding operations begin. Vehicles parked in this section will be towed at the owners’ expense.

There have been some delays in paving because of asphalt plant breakdowns and issues with oil supplier Paramount Petroleum, which will delay the project approximately one week to 10 days later than expected, wrapping up in mid to late September, according to Caltrans District 9 Public Information Officer Florene Trainor.

The grinding and repaving operation is part of an effort to fix the mistakes made by Sierra Nevada Construction on the same stretch of road three years ago. The current contractor, Granite Construction, will be doing “substantially more grinding,” said Public Works Director Ray Jarvis, to get rid of the failing pavement. Granite Construction will then repave with a different formulation of hot mix asphalt.