We're only a few days away from the closure of the southbound lanes of I-5 and Caltrans is concerned about access to light rail and Amtrak trains. All southbound lanes of I-5 will shutdown for repairs in the "Boat Section" after commuter traffic dies down this Friday evening. Here's the challenge: for people who usually travel through downtown Sacramento from places north such as Yolo County...Yuba City...Marysville and other communities...you should set aside more time to get to your destinations Monday morning. That's because if you travel the southbound side of I-5 and plan to catch a train...you'll have to park on the southside and either walk or ride your bike to the train platforms on the other side of the freeway. You see, folks who travel on the northbound lanes have the convenience of having the train stations adjacent to their side of the road. It's the southbounders, if you will, that face a challenge of getting to the other side during the construction...especially during peak travel times.
I spoke with Rochelle Jenkins with Caltrans today and she says probably the best solution is to leave your vehicle at Discovery Park and hike it over to the trains. However, remember that you must have a permit to leave your car at Discovery Park...and you can get a permit by surfing over to the Fix-I-5 website.
Here's another situation that makes life interesting in these times of major freeway repairs in Sacramento. Caltrans officials say they're concerned that since so many people are walking or riding bikes around the construction work...more people may be at risk of heat stroke. With afternoon temperatures in the mid 90's this week, a lot of people could over extend themselves and suffer heat related illnesses...if we're not careful. So, the best advice is to plan ahead, allow more time to get to your destination, drink plenty of water, seek shade and try to plan your walking or bike rides when it's not so hot in the morning or evening hours...if possible.
Finally, there's been a lot of buzz about how fast the work has gone under the management of local contractor C.C. Myers. Now, there's even word that future Caltrans construction projects may be modelled around Myers' method of planning and working. Apparently he's been so effective in getting work done on time...or even under deadline...using concrete mixtures that cure at such zippy speeds...that Caltrans is taking notes for other works around the state. What had started as an experiment...is now becoming a template for other road projects. The lesson learned: When California drivers are given a lot of notice about upcoming projects...they pay attention...and do what it takes to avoid creating traffic jams around projects.
How do you view the "Fix I-5" project? Are things going better than you anticipated? Are you pleased with what's been done so far? How are you getting around? KXJZ would like to know...and so would our fellow listeners and blog readers. Please leave any comments or driving tips here for others to share. You'll have to register first, but it's easy. Click here for instructions.