‘It’s a mess for everybody.’ Merced Highway 99 construction means big issues for drivers

Merced County residents who’ve driven on Highway 99 this week have probably noticed a few changes that are causing them to pay a little closer attention to the road.

The California Department of Transportation says work has started on a $61.8 million pavement rehabilitation and guardrail installation project on Highway 99 through Merced.

That’s causing northbound traffic on the highway to narrow to one lane through some stretches.

About 20 miles of Highway 99 is affected by the construction, according to the Caltrans press release, between Franklin Road and Childs Avenue.

As of Sunday, drivers in the left lane of Highway 99 northbound have had to cross into the center median and continue driving north in the southbound lane from Childs Avenue to Bear Creek. The lane change is expected to continue through this November.

“We just started implementing a traffic split, and when you have to repave the (No. 1) and the (No. 2) lane, and you need to keep two lanes open, then you’ve got to be able to split that traffic somehow,” said Skip Allen, Caltrans public information officer. “The challenge is through that area, you have a lot of bridges, and you aren’t always able to keep two lanes open.”

During this time, Caltrans officials said, cars driving northbound on this stretch of Highway 99 will drive between concrete barriers for five miles, and won’t be able to enter or exit the highway.

The right lane will be open during the daytime so drivers can enter and exit the highway. All northbound ramps between Childs Avenue and Bear Creek will be closed until November.

Drivers can still get to downtown Merced from Highway 99 northbound, but will have to use the Childs Avenue exit and turn right on Childs.

Big rigs and large commercial vehicles are also asked to take Childs Avenue off the highway to get to downtown Merced, but turn left once off the highway.

“Traffic is definitely going to be slower,” said Officer Eric Zuniga, public information officer for the California Highway Patrol.

“It’s a mess for everybody right now. The roadways are very narrow, so it’s harder to go to the shoulders because we have no shoulders there,” Zuniga added.

Zuniga said drivers should pay attention to their speed and to traffic signs along the highway. Drivers should also keep in mind that big rig drivers are likely going to get in more crashes because they’re not driving in the slow lane, he said.

“We’re all in it together,” Zuniga said. “Crashes are definitely going to go up, but I just want people to know most of the crashes are from going too fast in construction zones or following too close.”

Local drivers trying to go northbound on Highway 99 should use the 16th Street on-ramp, although all lanes and ramps on Highway 99 southbound between Childs Avenue and Bear Creek will stay open.

After construction is done on Highway 99 northbound, work will start on the southbound side of the highway.

The southbound construction project doesn’t yet have a start date. The project also includes repairing and replacing asphalt dikes and curbs, adding shoulder backing, replacing metal beam guardrails, upgrading terminal sections, and placing bridge approach and departure slabs, according to the press release.

An estimated 62,000 motorists use this stretch of Highway 99 every day, according to Caltrans, including 12,400 truckers a day.

“Please be patient,” Zuniga said. “We’re trying to improve the roadways through Merced County, but it does take time. They’re out there trying to make the roads better.”

This story was originally published March 10, 2022 at 1:13 PM.