Work is well underway for the U.S. 101/Dry Creek Road intersection improvement project and city officials say the work has not hit any snags so far and should finish as scheduled around the end of this month.
The work includes adding stop signs at the southbound on/off ramp intersection and widening and restriping Dry Creek Road in order to add left turn lanes for the northbound and southbound ramps, according to a city manager update from Healdsburg City Manager David Mickaelian.
The aim of the project is to improve traffic flow and ease congestion during peak traffic hours in that area.
Healdsburg Public Works Director Larry Zimmer said the stop signs will “Greatly improve traffic flow operating in the area.”
While the new stop signs are a workable fix, Zimmer noted that they are not a permanent solution and that the city may explore the idea of traffic signals or other traffic solutions for the future.
Clay Thistle, the city’s senior civil engineer, said there has been nothing out of the ordinary in terms of project snags and there will be no effects on pipeline in the area.
“We expect to be complete around the end of the month,” Thistle said.
In terms of traffic impact all routes in the area will remain open the entire time, according to Zimmer.
“All work is taking place outside of the travel way, if they are paving they may need to push traffic,” Zimmer said.
A portion of the paving was completed Sept. 22 and Sept. 23 according to the city.
Project work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“It will likely cause some delays,” Zimmer said, but no major closures. “It is a high volume traffic area and that (work) can grab attention and people can go a bit slower.”
