Leaving a Mendocino County town in the dust

Liam Osborne, left, his grandmother Cynthia Geddes and sister Elizabeth wait outside Adam’s restaurant on Main Street, U.S. Highway 101. At far left is Willits resident Ron Lippert.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Pedestrians make their way past a business on Main Street.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Nick Durupt, clothing manager for J.D. Redhouse & Co., a store on Main Street, is against the planned bypass because he thinks it will hurt the local economy.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A motorist travels past the Lumberjack Restaurant on Main Street.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The site of the four-lane freeway bypass.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Boblitt, heavy-equipment operator for Caltrans, carries rolls of preformed vertical drain at the bypass site.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Wick drains are drilled into the bypass site.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Among those opposing the four-lane bypass are Ellen Drell, left, a board member of the Willits Environmental Center; Naomi Wagner, media coordinator for direct action group called Earth First!; and Danielle Fristoe, owner of Roadhouse Music, a local business owner.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Ellen Drell and Danielle Fristoe are against the four-lane project.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

A tree sitter protests at the bypass site.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)