Eldorado forest roads to be repaired

A front end loader operated by Steelhead Constuctors on the 11 Pines Road storm damage project.
Photo/USFS/Jon Jue

Work is in progress to repair the top three road damage priorities in California’s national forests after last winter’s storms, and all three are in the Eldorado National Forest.

The Federal Highway Administration is providing $6.8 million to repair 11 Pines Road and Blacksmith Flat Road in the Georgetown Ranger District and Ellis Road in the Amador Ranger District.

The goal is to complete work on 11 Pines Road and Blacksmith Road before this year’s winter weather sets in. The work on Ellis Road will begin next spring.

An expedited environmental review under an emergency authorization made it possible to put a contract out for bid quickly.

Blacksmith Flat Road is used regularly by Placer County Water Agency to access high hazard dams.  A still-active landslide on Blacksmith Flat Road makes this repair job dangerous and technically challenging.

Severe winter storms in 1997 and 2003 also caused extensive road damage in the Eldorado National Forest and throughout California.