Arteries to Eastern Sierra Being Widened to 4 Lanes

Gradual widening of the main arteries linking Southern California and the eastern Sierra will result in the probable completion of a four-lane highway from the Los Angeles County line to the Nevada border by the end of the century, according to a Caltrans official here.

Kit Birmingham, program manager of transportation programs for District 9, said that 60% to 62% of California 14 and U. S. 395 will be four-lane by 1992, according to the agency’s current five-year plan.

The eastern Sierra ski resort of Mammoth/June is dependent on California 14 and U.S. 395 for its lifeblood--winter sports enthusiasts from the major population areas of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

While motorists on the west side of the Sierra enjoy multi-lane freeways from Southern to Northern California, traffic on the east side of the mountains has been confined to two-lane road from Mojave to Bishop, except for short stretches of four-lane pavement.

Both systems receive federal funds, but the interstate highways on the west side of the mountains have been receiving the bulk of the money, according to Birmingham.

Currently, within Inyo County, 51% of the Sierra highway is four lanes; in Kern County, about 47%, and all pavement through towns on the route is four lanes, Caltrans reports.

Eight four-lane projects are scheduled to be completed before the summer of 1992. They include the stretches north of Mojave on California 14 from north of the junction of Routes 14 and 58 to California City Boulevard; two contiguous projects, seven miles south of Jawbone Canyon to Jawbone Canyon.

Also, two projects from two miles south of the California 14-U. S. 395 junction to the Inyo County line; a 6 1/2-mile project from Sage Flat to about 15 miles south of Lone Pine, and from 10 miles south of Lone Pine to five miles south of Lone Pine.

The widening of California 203 to four lanes from the junction of U.S. 395 to the town of Mammoth Lakes is scheduled for completion by next fall, according to Caltrans. Construction has been temporarily discontinued during the winter months.