Highway 99 gets $646K makeover

A 14-mile stretch of Old Highway 99 is being resurfaced this week by Glenn County road crews. The work starts at French Street in Willows and ends at South Street in Orland.

Work began Monday as workers put chip seals on both lanes, the first phase of significant summer projects paid for by state Proposition 1B road repair funding. The project is expected to run through today with motorists having 10- to 20-minute delays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Deputy Director of Public Works Randy Murphy said the Highway 99 repairs are estimated to cost $646,517, but the actual price could come in lower than that.

County crews are doing the majority of the work with a contractor spreading the oil base, he said. However, Glenn County staff is spreading the gravel, smoothing out the roads and running the pilot cars and flagman stops.

“Just about whole crew is working on the roadway,” Murphy said, and the warm weather should allow completiion this week since hot conditions are ideal for spreading road bases. He estimated about 14 workers are involved.

In July and in August, two more Prop. 1B projects are planned. A three-mile stretch of County Road 29 from Highway 45 to County Road V is to be resurfaced and have shoulder work completed for about $404,000. A portion of County Road 39 from Highway 45 to County Road P also is to be chip sealed for about $199,000.

Motorists are advised to take alternate routes during the construction periods.