Calaveras County, CA — Calaveras County leaders held a ribbon-cutting yesterday afternoon, touting the completion of Phase I of the State Route 4 Wagon Trail Project.
That section of the highway is between Copperopolis and Angels Camp, from Bonanza Mine Way to Stockton Road, a total of about 6 miles. The county and Caltrans District 10 celebrated these new safety features, with state road officials noting that it is now “a roadway with a lot more shoulder room, along with fewer dips and curves.” Crews working in July reported here had the section from the Apple Blossom and Dam Road area, Bonanza Mine Way to Appaloosa Road, and along the two miles to Brice Station Road under one-way traffic control for that shoulder work.
The project is being funded by state, federal, and local sources, including Senate Bill 1, which raised gas taxes and car fees to support transportation infrastructure in 2017, totaling roughly $6 million. There have been some setbacks, as reported here in August 2024, with timelines pushed back and cost increases due to a retaining wall and several cultural artifacts discovered during construction, necessitating additional environmental studies and mitigation efforts, increasing the total estimated cost from around $50 to $53 million.
