Two Pavement Projects Improving the I-80 Climb to the Summit

Crews from Teichert Construction and De Silva Gates are forging ahead with two key National Essential Freight Corridor projects this fall on Interstate 80 that travel through the Sierra Nevada: Teichert’s I-80 Soda Springs Pavement Rehabilitation Project; and De Silva Gates’ I-80 Monte Vista Pavement Rehabilitation Project.

The I-80 Soda Springs Pavement Rehabilitation Project

This Teichert project encompasses approximately four miles of Interstate 80, starting at the Troy Road Undercrossing, and heading east to the Soda Springs off-ramp. The section between Troy Road and Kingvale involves the widening of the highway with reconstruction of the existing lanes. The work on the remainder of the project from Kingvale east involves widening the highway by 25 feet, which will add a traffic safety barrier, a 10-foot shoulder, and a new 12-foot travel lane.

The total cost for the I-80 Soda Springs Project is $90,712,000. Teichert began construction in December of 2023, with a targeted completion date of July 2027.

The scope of work includes rehabbing the roadway, constructing a truck-climbing lane on the eastbound side, replacing the Kingvale Undercrossing and the Troy Road Undercrossing, replacing sign panels, upgrading the lighting and the Transportation Management System (TMS) elements, and rehabilitating the drainage systems.

The same structural section is being applied for a widening and full replacement of the highway from the west limits of the project at the Troy Road Undercrossing to the eastbound Kingvale on-ramp. In total, 12.5 lane miles are being rehabilitated. Both of the undercrossings in the project are being widened to accommodate the new lane and shoulder.

Teichert set up a batch plant on Caltrans right-of-way acreage near the Soda Springs interchange. Within their concrete mix, 15% of the cementitious material is fly ash. The existing roadway is being removed and the concrete, asphalt, and bridge demolition debris is being hauled just a short distance to another Caltrans right-of-way location adjacent to the project where it is being processed into Class II Aggregate Base and reused in the new structural section.

Creating a safer transportation environment is a top goal with this project. The addition of the truck-climbing lane, rehabilitation of the roadway, improved signage, and enhanced guardrails and concrete barriers all work to meet that goal.

Big thanks and a tip of the hard hat go out to Teichert Project Manager Ryan Payne and Assistant Project Manager Jared Amader for their generous contributions to this story.

 

The I-80 Monte Vista Pavement Rehabilitation Project

Starting 0.45 miles west of the Monte Vista Overcrossing on Interstate 80 and going to 0.3 miles east of the Drum Forebay Overcrossing in Placer County, this DeSilva Gates project is rehabbing the existing pavement that’s in fair to poor condition, adding an eastbound truck-climbing lane, expanding the overcrossings to accommodate the new truck-climbing lane, new drainage systems, TMS elements, upgraded signage, and new concrete barriers.

New retaining walls are under construction to shore up the new traffic lane.

The scope of work for the I-80 Monte Vista Pavement Rehabilitation Project includes new pavement, retaining walls, drainage systems, and a truck climbing lane to improve traffic flow. The project is also creating safer connections for wildlife to help preserve one of California’s most important mountain corridors.