News on major projects in Inyo and Mono. First, Mammoth’s Old Mary Road bridge. According to the Town of Mammoth officials, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has assembled the steel metal plate structure of the bridge and crews have started to backfill the bridge area.

That work will continue over the next two weeks as well as construction of headwalls and installation of utilities. Re-opening of the Lake Mary Road still stands at November 26th. Due to construction, Lake Mary Road remains closed at Bridges Lane. Motorists should use Old Mammoth Road to access the Lakes Basin. This route is not recommended for vehicles over 30 feet, expecially when the road is icy.

Meanwhile, further south, just north of Independence, Caltrans’ contractor switched traffic over to newly constructed and paved lanes, as part of the Black Rock four-lane project.

Locals refer to this section of Highway 395 as Death Alley because of the dangerous two lanes and past head-on collisions. The two new lanes, built to the west of Highway 395, now carry traffic between Independence and Poverty Hills.

Crews will now go to work to refurbish the old highway which will become the final two-lanes of the new four-lane stretch. Today, signs let motorists know that the Division Creek Rest Area is closed, apparently in connection with the highway construction. A Caltrans spokesman said he believes it is not the agency’s intention to keep the rest area closed during the entire re-construction of the two old highway lanes.

Discover more from Sierra Wave: Eastern Sierra News

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading