The $2.1 billion tunnel project aims to save Highway 101 in Northern California. Here, there is a risk that part of the road connecting the Eureka and the crescent moon will fall into the sea.
As Rachel Swann explains in the San Francisco Chronicle, the “Last Chance Grade” three-mile “Last Chance Grade” is a troubling wind through the Redwood forests with tremors on the ground, winter storms and rock slides that are repeatedly forced to close.
“After years of patch jobs and careful monitoring, Caltrans has landed on the solution: a 6,000-foot tunnel bypassing the landslide area at a cost of $2.1 billion. According to Rep. Jared Huffman, the road carries around 6,000 vehicles every day, including cargo trucks. Once the grade is closed, a detour will be created for several hours.
Caltrans has set aside $275 million for design and engineering and is expected to begin construction in 2030, but the project is not fully funded. While some local officials hope to win federal funds, others have proposed toll programs to help pay for the project.
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