Major Construction Projects Scheduled for Napa Highways
In early September, 2020, funds were allocated for major construction projects on two Napa highways. The construction is scheduled to begin by the end of the year and is projected to dramatically decrease traffic for local commuters as well as reduce the number of injury-causing vehicle accidents in the area. The project is funded through the California Transportation Commission, which allocated millions of dollars toward the construction effort.
Highway 12 Project
According to officials, one of the projects will address issues on Highway 12 through Jameson Canyon, a roadway that many Napa residents use to access Solano, Yolo, and Sacramento Counties. This stretch of road is known as a dangerous area that sees heavy traffic. While the highway was widened from two to four lanes in 2014, traffic problems have persisted because the road shrinks to one lane at the I-80 junction. Often, rush hour traffic backups through Jameson Canyon measure over a mile long.
In order to address this problem, authorities have planned a 77 million dollar interchange construction project. The merge point from I-80 to Highway 12 will be widened to two lanes. According to the Solano Transportation Authority, the change is expected to have a major positive impact on typically terrible traffic.
In addition to the interchange, various resurfacing projects and weave-point improvements are planned for roads near the junction. Halls indicated that these changes would make roads “a lot safer.” Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is projected to last around two years. Both Highway 12 and I-80 will remain open during construction.
Devlin Road Project
The second project will deal with traffic on Highway 29, which leads south out of Napa to Vallejo and is often used by locals to access the Bay Area. As it stands, collisions that block traffic on Highway 29 between Green Island Road and South Kelly Road leave drivers with no detour option. Often, this results in minor accidents causing serious traffic.
To improve this situation, the city of American Canyon plans to extend Devlin Road through southern Napa County. Because Devlin Road runs parallel to Highway 29, it would be able to provide an alternate route in case of accidents. However, only 4.1 million dollars of the necessary 9.3 million to build the half-mile stretch of road has been allotted so far.
City Manager Jason Holley indicated that construction on the project could begin as soon as November and would take around a year or less to finish.
Dangerous Roads and Accident Liability
When most people think of negligent parties in car accidents, they think of reckless drivers. However, there are often non-driver parties who are considered at-fault for accidents. Commonly, an issue with a particular road is considered to have caused a crash, and, in these cases, the government responsible for that roadway can be considered at-fault. This means that injured parties can file injury claims and attempt to hold these government entities financially responsible for the damages they’ve suffered.
However, filing a defective roadway claim against a government entity can be difficult. Importantly, these cases need to be addressed quickly, as injured parties only have 180 days from the date of the accident to file their claim. Because of these complications, it’s vital to have help from a Napa personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Other Blogs by Ed A. Smith, Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
- Pedestrian Crash in Napa Injures Elderly Man
- What is a Napa Personal Injury Lawyer?
- Yountville Collision Injures Napa Woman
Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Napa personal injury lawyer. People injured in car accidents may face serious challenges. To receive free, friendly legal advice after a car crash, reach out to me at (707) 564-1900 or at (800) 404-5400, toll-free.
My law firm has worked with individuals in the Napa area on serious injury cases for 38 years, and we have a long history of trial verdicts and settlements. Additionally, my clients have posted many reviews of my practice at the sites below:
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