News & Columns > Michael P. Neufeld > Section of Highway 173 Now Open (Update)

Section of Highway 173 Now Open (Update)

Storm Damage Closed Roadway in 2004

By Michael P. Neufeld
Saturday, November 1, 2008

Update - Saturday - 4:04 a.m.

Lake Arrowhead, CA - Caltrans has reopened the storm damaged section of Highway 173 near Lake Arrowhead. This portion of the route is primarily used by the local community.

Highway 173 was damaged during the 2004 heavy rain storms and was closed to traffic as a result. Work began early this summer to rebuild eroded slopes and restore the roadway.

"Caltrans would like to thank the Mountain community, emergency responders, businesses and Lake Arrowhead Chamber of Commerce for their patience during this closure," a media release stated.

Highway 173 (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Update - Thursday 3:56 a.m.

Lake Arrowhead, CA - Last minute clean-up operations are underway on a construction project on Highway 173, to replace damaged pavement, and repair damaged slopes north of Lake Arrowhead, according to Caltrans.

When Grand Pacific Contractors finishes the clean-up, sometime on Halloween, the gates located at both ends of the 5-mile stretch of roadway, which have been closed since 2005, will swing open. At that time traffic will once again traverse Highway 173, from Arbon Lane to Grass Valley Road.

The completed project includes new pavement, new retaining structures and improved slopes for motorists on Highway 173, according to Grand Pacific's Project Manager Dorie Anderson.

Original Story

Lake Arrowhead, CA – Grand Pacific Contractors have moved equipment and supplies into place and begun a project on Highway 173 to replace damaged pavement and repair damaged slopes. The 5-mile stretch between Arbon Road and Grass Valley Road has been closed to through traffic since 2004 due to slip outs.

"Our goal is to have the road open on or before Halloween," Caltrans construction Engineer Ray Stokes told RIMOFTHEWORLD.net.

The scope of the project includes removing rocks and debris from the existing pavement on Highway 173, repair the damaged pavement and repair and rebuild several damaged slopes washed out during the storms in 2004.

Repairs have begun on Highway 173 between Arbon Road and Grass Valley Road in Lake Arrowhead. The roadway has been closed due to slipouts since 2005. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

"A series of lifts will be constructed at one of the most troublesome spots," project manager Dorie Anderson explained while looking at plans for reconstruction of a major segment of the roadway that is completely missing.

"We're starting about 40-feet below the old road," Anderson noted and filling gabion baskets with rock and wrapping them with geosynthetic reinforced fabric interlaid between dirt and the baskets."

Project Manager Dorie Anderson from Grand Pacific Contractors reviews plans for repairs to damage done on Highway 173 by mud and rock slides at various locations. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

Grand Pacific CEO Wayne Stevenson estimated at least 150 tons of rock would be required to fill the gabion baskets used to rebuild the slope.

"The gabion baskets come like a collapsed cardboard box," Stevenson stated, "and come in various sizes to meet the requirements of building the slopes."

Wayne Stevenson from Grand Pacific Contractors explains the gabion baskets will be filled with 150 tons of rock as his firm repairs damaged slopes on Highway 173. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

The geosynthetic reinforced fabric is cut from huge rolls brought into the construction area by special lift equipment and is draped over the rock-filled baskets to form lifts.

"It will require over 20 lifts to restore the slope and rebuild the roadbed," Stokes said as he watched the first row of baskets put in place over the base used to stabilize the lifts as they reform the hillside.

Workers from Grand Pacific Contractors began placing geosynthetic reinforced fabric over gabion baskets during slope repairs on Highway 173 north of Lake Arrowhead. (Photo by Michael P. Neufeld.)

While the project repairing eight work areas has just begun, it hasn't been without problems caused by off-road vehicles getting around the road-closed signs.

"We have several thousand dollars worth of plastic in place to help cut down on water pollution in area streams and keep runoff from impacting the work areas," Stevenson said. "Off-road vehicles have been driving up the plastic and tearing it only to discover a few yards down the road they are unable to go any further.

"It's very expensive to keep replacing the plastic and because it's a construction site the violators can face some serious consequences," he concluded, "so we're hoping they get the message that they're causing some major problems and need to enjoy their sport elsewhere."

When it's all done the project will include new pavement, new retaining structures and improved slopes for motorists on Highway 173.