California to spend $36.4 mn repairing historic Ebbetts Pass where highway climbs 8000 feet

The road becomes narrow, steep and winding at higher elevations. California's transport agency, Caltrans, will begin a major four-year project to repair a long stretch of Highway 4, including the historic Ebbetts Pass in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The work is now scheduled to start on August 3 after being delayed.The $36.4 million project will cover about 31.7 miles of highway 4 in Alpine County. The route passes through well-known destinations such as Bear Valley, Lake Alpine, Mosquito Lakes and Pacific Valley before crossing Ebbetts Pass, one of the last remaining wild routes across the Sierra Nevada.The repair work is aimed at improving the ageing road while keeping its existing layout. Caltrans said the project is expected to finish in autumn 2030.The project was originally due to begin on July 13. However, Caltrans postponed the start until August 3 to reduce disruption during the Bear Valley Music Festival, which runs from July 17 to August 2 and attracts around 4,000 visitors. Before the delay, only pre-construction survey work had been carried out.In a Facebook post announcing the change, Caltrans said, "#CaltransDistrict10 is working with Alpine County communities toward...