Finished Highway 4 Project Should Reduce Traffic
Good news for all East County drivers that frequently travel through Highway 4: the Balfour Road interchange project that was announced in Spring 2017 has now been completed. One of the hopes for this project was that traffic in affected areas will be alleviated. During commuter hours, traffic can back up for over a mile at the four-way intersection. This signalized intersection has now been replaced by an interchange that will reduce traffic congestion and lead to fewer auto accidents.
A $42 Million Dollar Project
State, regional, and local officials met on Monday, December 10, 2018, to celebrate the completion of the project that cost a whopping $42 million. This project was specifically targeting the south Brentwood stretch along Highway 4, as it is known to have serious traffic jams during rush hours. Bob Taylor, Mayor of Brentwood, contended that this project has decreased traffic while increasing road safety. Taylor also stated that there are long-term economic gains that will result from the new interchange. The structure is right near a local high school, medical offices, and residential neighborhoods, so it is estimated that roughly 60,000 cars pass through this area each day. Taylor believes that this infrastructure is here to stay and will last through multiple generations.
Highway 4 Project
If you were not aware of the Highway 4 road improvement project, here’s a quick recap of what it includes: installing a Highway 4 bridge that crosses over Balfour Road, new diagonal off-ramps from Highway 4 to Balfour Road, and new loop on-ramps for Balfour Road. After more than a year of hard work and dedication, the project has been finished and the costs even amounted to less than the budget, according to Taylor.
Acquiring the necessary funds was not a piece of cake, especially during the project’s initial phases. One of the biggest barriers was a 90-inch pipeline from the Contra Costa Water District. Eventually, officials created a plan to move the roadway instead. The revised plan ended up saving $18 million that would have been required to move the pipeline.
Balfour Project is User-Friendly for All Types of Motorists
There are even more benefits to come from the new Highway 4 interchange, according to traffic authorities. Balfour Road will soon be enhanced with green stripes that designate bicycle lanes in both directions; the green-colored stripes should make bicyclist’s presence much more noticeable. Bicyclists will also no longer have to dread crossing a busy freeway since they will now be going underneath it. Additionally, there will be newly constructed sidewalks to facilitate a safer experience for pedestrians. Whether you use a car, a bike, or your feet as your common method of transportation, you should reap the benefits of this brand new road construction.
Watch Youtube Video: Highway 4 & Balfour Road Interchange Project–Flyover of Proposed Interchange. This video from 4 East County shows a simulated drone perspective of the proposed interchange for Highway 4 and Balfour Road.
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Finished Highway 4 Project Should Reduce Traffic: AutoAccident.com
Image: By HansLinde – Pixabay.
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