Angels Camp Bypass Planned

With the new East Sonora Bypass open and operating, plans are now being made for a Highway 4 Bypass in Angels Camp.

The Calaveras County Council of Governments reported this week that the project will now cost an estimated 24 million dollars, instead of the original price tag of around 16-million dollars.

The Angels Camp Bypass design includes four bridges and would begin at the junction of Highways 4 and 49, continuing over Murphys Grade Road to Highway 4 near Rolleri Bypass Road.

The cost increase is apparently due to the rising cost of materials like concrete and steel.

In addition, the state of California may not have the money to acquire rights of way until the end of the year.

Next week, the project development team plans to meet and discuss possible ways of reducing the cost, though engineers say there isn´t much cost flexibility.