Travelers driving on Highway 36 between Susanville and Westwood will need to budget some extra travel time when they drive over the hill between now and September. Caltrans District 2 has announced that construction work on the Devil’s Corral Safety Project has begun again, an extensive safety initiative that covers a long stretch of the mountain highway.
According to state transportation officials, motorists should prepare for one-way traffic control in the project area, which spans from approximately 6.5 miles east of the Goodrich Creek Bridge to the Willard Creek Road access point.
Caltrans advises that standard delays through the construction zone will fluctuate up to 15 minutes. However, drivers are warned that longer delays of up to 25 minutes may occur at times when specialized construction operations force traffic to travel over unpaved surfaces.
Construction Schedule & Delay Details:
Monday through Thursday: One-way traffic control in effect from 7:00a.m. to 7:00p.m.
Friday: One-way traffic control in effect from 7:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.
Special Operations: Delays may extend up to 25 minutes when construction activities require driving on unpaved surfaces.
The $16.7 million safety project is aimed at modernizing and improving the safety profile of State Route 36. To achieve this, crews will be actively widening highway shoulders, upgrading drainage culverts, relocating utilities, and adding rumble strips to prevent roadway departures. Additionally, extensive vegetation removal will be conducted along the corridor to significantly improve solar exposure, which helps melt ice and snow faster during winter months.
If everything goes according to schedule, the entire project is expected to be finalized and completed by the end of September.
Caltrans reminds all motorists to please slow down when approaching the construction area, remain alert and watch closely for highway crews and heavy equipment.
