Caltrans to lower road under Marysville overpass with reputation of truck crashes
MARYSVILLE – Trucks repeatedly crashing into an overpass in Marysville because they're too tall to make it through has been a problem for years.
Now, Caltrans said they're working to make the crossing safer.
They call it the can opener, as the low clearance overpass at B and 17th streets has had a reputation for years for tearing into tall trucks.
"It's about time. Yeah, they need to do something," said Rob McMains, a resident of nearby Yuba City.
More than 17,000 vehicles and trucks drive through the undercrossing in Marysville daily. Some of them drive right through it.
"I've seen it several times. Photos. Facebook posts all the social media stuff. When this gets backed up, it's a mess over here," McMains said.
Caltrans has already begun a project to fix the issue. The plan is to keep the railroad overpass as is, and instead, lower the road underneath while also adding 2 more lanes.
"Marysville PD has reported about 16 times that this has been hit by a semi-truck," said Megan Reese, a spokesperson for Caltrans District 3.
That's only over a two and a half year period. The undercrossing also serves as a walkway for pedestrians and cyclists.
"It is right next to Marysville High School and MJUSD. There are so many kids," Reese said.
So what's been the holdup in finding a fix?
"When you're going to lower a roadway, you have to consider flooding or all the proper drainage, so just recently we finished both those projects," Reese said.
Caltrans also said they had to coordinate with railroad and levee agencies.
But it'll be about another year until drivers start to see the heavy lifting for construction work. That will take another two years to finish.
"There will be a lot of change people will see. There's some businesses that are going to be removed, so that side will grow," Reese said.
To add two more lanes, Caltrans said they are buying out some of the nearby businesses off B Street.
"It's a necessary evil, that's the bad thing when you get populations and all the travel that goes through here, guna have to happen so hopefully they can do something to help relocate that business," McMains said.
Once construction begins next year, Caltrans said most of the work will be done at night.
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