A number of Olancha residents are still seething over how Caltrans has handled the four-lane project through their town and property. Citizens asked for a public meeting on the Caltrans plan, but on Monday Caltrans Director Tom Hallenbeck sent a letter to the Inyo Local Transportation Commission to say there will be no meeting until the final environmental document is done.
After many years of public meetings on five alternatives, Caltrans Director Hallenbeck created a new alternative which he says is a combination of alternatives 3 and 4 with a four-lane highway around Olancha to the west, over the Los Angeles Aqueduct and back out through Cartago.
Those who own land and businesses in Olancha and Cartago say the new alternative was created without public input. Land owner Jeffrey Bohl of Olancha said of the Caltrans plan, “It has no link to the public.” Bohl said the new alternative will by-pass Olancha with major impacts on the community and on the land to the west where people like to recreate. “How would Bishop feel,” said Bohl, “if suddenly their town were bypassed and their recreation land interrupted by a four-lane highway?”
Bohl and others believe the four-lane could be done on the East with far fewer impacts and use of the existing two lanes for a lot less money. Bohl wants to know why Caltrans would mothball the current highway, and spend up to $60 million more on an 8 to 12 mile highway to the West when the State nears bankruptcy,
Bohl also has concern that Inyo County’s Planning Department has no plan for the future of Southern Inyo. Bohl said, “Southern Inyo has a right to grow like anyone else.”
Bohl also points to $4 to $6 million Caltrans may have spent on environmental studies on the new alternative that he says they failed to disclose to the public. Said Bohl, “It smells like special interest all the way. We need to have a meeting now.”
We placed a call to Caltrans Director Hallenbeck, but he was out of town and unavailable for comment. We hope to speak with him next week.
In my opinion Cal Trans should concentrate their efforts on dividing the highway North of Red Rock Canyon (on Hwy 14) to the intersection of 395 and 14. Also they should start working dividing HWY 395 South of the intersection of 14 and 395. These areas are horrible. Olancha is… Read more »
I say the cheapest solution is SPEED-BUMPS! (Parody…not to be taken seriously)
LOL Rick … on the heels of the pit maneuver and the spike strips episode .. that’s funny .. (not to be taken seriously .. either).
Back after a lovely weekend in Olancha. I see that my last post has some support and some questions. Yes the stats came from the Caltrans meetings. The reason the truck traffic will double is because Nevada has no warehouse tax. This makes it the best state to send all… Read more »
To the east of Olancha is nothing but wetlands and in a desert, that is priceless. The west alignment is by far the best choice for residents and travelers alike. There is no requirement that there be a public meeting for a combination of two, already analyzed alternatives.
What about the unobstructed View of the Sierra? Now their serene view will be traffic and trucks!?
The Inyo County General Plan doesn’t guarantee viewsheds and BLM (who manages most of the land around Olancha) already considers the area “impaired.” Viewshed is not a political or environmental issue and unrelated to the project. If the residents were so concerned with “business in Olancha” they would either open… Read more »
If this goes thru. It will be just like what caltrans did to mojave. By-pass it with a highway. A lot of business closed. This will happen all the way from Olancha to Bishop.. SO look out for anything that caltrans or the LADWP has in their back pocket. It’s… Read more »
Tim, you are misinformed about Mojave, and are further spreading misinformation. There have only been a few businesses that have closed in that town. The businesses that have closed, have closed for various reasons unrelated to the by pass. The remaining businesses that are still open who rely on the… Read more »
Only a few business in Mojave closed due to the bypass?
There wasn’t to many businesses to start with. The bypass hurt Mojave plenty!
I disagree Rob, there are a lot of business … several motels, several gas stations, several fast food restaurants, a truck stop, a grocery store, a two car dealers, a donut shop laundry/cleaners, and a few others I can’t recall right now.I’ve only seen one fast food restaurant and one… Read more »
we are not talking about mojave!!! we are talking about Olancha and the choice to build the road to the west!!! stick to the facts and tell us who you are!!! that is What is your name and will you come to a public forum for debate?
Big Al- to list all the closures as you did, then say traffic doesn’t have anything to do with it is nuts.
i don’t think so Rob…almost everything that closed, closed BEFORE the bypass. The main restaurant I stop at, Primos, is still going strong, as is Grazianos. The Arby’s closed well before the bypass.
Now that most of 395 north of the merge with 14 is four lane, I really don’t mind the 10 mph slowdown through Olancha. I think Caltrans should spend this money to put in more four lane passing zones south of the junction for both highways.
One of the problems is people don’t slow down thru Olancha and Cartago…55 speed limit or not…and to the point if your not going 65+,chances are you’ll get hit from behind or passed illegally.
People drive to fast everywhere. What’s the rush?
The accident rate in Olancha is a hard fact. It is not just a blip in a statistical calculation. I think we all realize while we and others drive through this area we are typically in a hurry, and usually are not expecting someone to slam their breaks on ahead… Read more »
Obviously A Mistake CalTrans decision to bypass Olancha is ridiculous. The residents, the business owners and the Board of Supervisors all stated their preference to be Alt #1, widen the existing corridor. The County has a stated goal and policy of “no bypass”. The cost to taxpayers of building a… Read more »
Jenifer- I believe you have stated the best argument and solution here. Hope Caltrans listens to someone like you.
Steve- your argument with for seen traffic issues is complete hog wash in my book. Olancha has no traffic problems to speak of and never will. There are thousands of issues that need to be addressed in this state before we waste sixty million more dollars.
As for traffic problems, Caltrans’ Cedric Zemitis told us that from January of 1999 through December of 2008 135 accidents occurred in the Olancha area with 16 fatalities and 121 injuries. So, four lanes would certainly help with those tragedies. The cost and method remains a question. Benett Kessler
Curious as to how many of those accidents were gross vehicle code violations such as driving way over the speed limit, unsafe passing, drunk driving etc..Bypassing the town isn’t going to eliminate the reckless and unsafe drivers.
So you wouldn’t mind if some moron passing unsafely opts to wipe out you and your family? Violations or otherwise, this doesn’t erase the damage caused. I think you’ll find most accidents, everywhere boil down to carelessness or disregard for the law.
Benett-I am surprised to see your reply to this issue. If the stats you quote are correct, I would agree there is a serious problem that needs to be fixed in Olancha area. I just ask you and Mr. Reese to please don’t point to trucks or truck drivers as… Read more »
What’s surprising about supplying details of information that people want? I’m not pointing to any particular type of vehicle. Come on trouble, quit looking for…uh…trouble. Benett Kessler
Benett- I really want to argue the bone head idea the Bishop City Planner came up with called the Bishop Truck Loop.But I think that’s a dead issue now. And yes I enjoy a little trouble ever now and then.
So where did you pull that out from Trouble, about trucks … in her post? Yeah Mr. Reese mentioned trucks, but he did not say truck drivers are unsafe. He meant the problem with trucks in general. There is a problem with trucks, a lot of inherent issues with their… Read more »
Big Al- Mr. Reese stated there would be a truck every minute coming down the 395. Plus he said traffic will double in 20 years. I call that hog wash and expect more hog wash coming my way complements of you.
Why thank you very much Trouble, I take that as a compliment, at least I am getting the truth out there it seems, if you feel it is hog wash then the truth must be effective .. feel free to wallow in it .. I would say also, that Mr.… Read more »
60 million .. really trouble? talk about shady .. really?
It seems people can pull a lot of figures and so called facts from somewhere and make it hog wash lol
Big Al- I pulled that figure out of this article above. Look up!
I did? lol
Ahh you did OK that’s what I thought OK
I do believe some public pressure is in order to force CalTrans to hold a public hearing on the new alternative route. It is undemocratic how they have unilaterally decided for us what is in our best interests, especially since the environmental impact study was internal and has not been… Read more »
My wife and I live and own are house in Olancha. We have attended all of the CalTrans meetings for the highway improvement. At first we were with the “keep it where it is” group. But after reading the reports of the future use doubling in the next 20 years,… Read more »
Doubling In the next 20 years? I highly doubt that. With rising fuel prices and the continued decline of our economy, the likelihood of continued growth in traffic on 395 is uncertain at best. CalTrans is looking after its own interests, so of course they would throw out “statistics” like… Read more »
Safety always comes first until it costs money, either by costing someone more money, or takes away money from them .. That seems to be the issue people are dwelling on with respect to this. Four lanes of highway, running through it … Right now, there is currently two lanes… Read more »
hello Steve… No one has ever said we do not want to improve the safety…All of the points of view expressed are another reason that shows Caltrans should have had the transperancy to have a public meeting on the preferred choice…should have been upfront and gotten the conscent first of… Read more »
Jeffery, Environmentally speaking that will entail routing a 4 lane highway through what appears to be a wetland to me. That would seem to me to be considerably worse for the environment. Despite the damage to the “View Shed”, environmentally I can’t seem to see how routing it to the… Read more »
I drive 395 thru Olancha 25-30 times a year for decades..I have never encountered a traffic jam or heavy traffic…It doesn’t kill me to slow down for 1 or 2 minutes…I can not see any reason at all to bypass the town…It just seems to me a huge waste of… Read more »
Roy…..I think a lot depends on safety more so than getting to Mammoth Lakes quicker for the tourists….You say” It doesn’t kill me to slow down for 1 or 2 minutes”….that is one of the problems through there….people DON’T slow down through town…and like Steve Reese(someone who lives there)says,it’s only… Read more »
It can’t stay the way it is, for some reason there is a high accident rate in this area, and I personally know of two families devastated by the deaths of family members in this area. So, please, with reality in mind, I’d like to hear what you prefer….a huge… Read more »
Good post sierragrl
One off to the side…much safer for everyone….
Does Mr. Bolh realize that Bishops City Planner tried to get a bypassed approved this year. The city council meeting had about 30 people speak against it and 1 for it. I agree with Mr. Bohl 100% and hope Caltrans doesn’t bypass any of the businesses in either town. All… Read more »
Personally, I think a major highway running right through Bishop is a detriment. Can you imagine how nice of a downtown area could be without all those trucks and traffic going right down mainstreet? Even sitting on the deck at Whiskey Creek, you have to stop your conversation and wait… Read more »
Trucks make up a big part of traffic coming through the valley, either from 395 in the north, highway 6 from the east, and 395 form the south. Sierragrl brings up a good point about truck traffic through the center of town, and how it effects the towns. Most of… Read more »
Big Al- talk about pulling facts out of the blue or worse. This is not a important truck route . The 395 is one of the lowest traveled truck routes in California. Where’s Ken Warner’s facts when I need em ?
All you have to do is count the truck traffic Trouble, It is not a mega truck route like 58 or 5, but it is an important truck route, find some facts yourself why rely on Ken to feed you facts.
i suggest “big Al be able to identify himself!!! other than big Al…what is your name?
sierra girl- who’s back yard are you willing to re-route these cars and trucks threw? There is no such thing as a truck only highway in California that I know of. Any car can drive on truck routes. Whiskey Creek would lose a hugh amount of the Mammoth crowd. So… Read more »
There is plenty of room to the east of town away from anyones backyard for an alternative route. Most of the businesses in Bishop would be able to survive an alternative route.Most are well established and are a part of the community. Not to mentions embedded in the southern CA… Read more »
again i say to Bishop citizens….you have a cool town…it is fun to drive through Bishop..it maybe takes five or ten minites…It is a town of character…and i think PEople like skiers have no problem with going to drive through Bishop..they get to stop if they want…there are good restaurants… Read more »
Frankly, the folks I know who go to Schat’s will happily bail off a major highway to stop there. And the people who stop at Whiskey Creek will do so as well. If they were in some sort of hurry they would hit the drive through, or wait 45 minutes.
the point is bishop does not need to have a bypass road!!! there is nothing wrong with driving into bishop.. the state of california is broke..do you understand? it is fine to drive through Bishop and it is fine to drive through Olancha!! we do not need to bypass..to bad… Read more »
Where is the recreation land again? Is this LADWP recreational land? And what about the numerous meetings mentioned in this news article, and yet people seem to say the state never held any meetings to discuss this project, at least that is what I have seen here. The route to… Read more »
Just to clarify what Mr. Bohl was expressing. He was concerned because after year of meetings on five separate alternatives, Caltrans came up with a new alternative and that’s the one the Director chose. Members of the public are saying they would like to have a chance to speak about… Read more »
Big Al- you fail to point out there is already a non-stop highway going thru Olancha. The other option is to leave it alone . That’s the best option in my opinion. It’s already paid for.
i will prove it when you come to the public meeting to discuss the preferred option in public…by the way i still see you didn’t give the people your name!!!
Here we go again lol
Sounds like “big government” has no concern for the town, its economy, or its people. It seems that they are just concerned with moving people to the north!
CalTrans is concerned with moving people “north” rapidly through Inyo to Mammoth. What are you going to do about that if you’re elected in Mono, Tim?
Good thing Mr. Fesko is not going to win the election or he would become a part of big Government! Peters has this thing wrapped up.
Yeah, cause certainly highways don’t move travelers both directions! LOL!
LOl yeah sierragrl they should be able to move faster on their own heading south, as hey are lighter in the pockets.
As you say they are lighter in their pockets!!! a good statement that proves my point!! people spend money in the towns of the owens valley when they go by!!! there is an economic effect for everyone along the existing corridor!! sometimes leaving things as they are is a good… Read more »