The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) unveiled a new Web site Feb. 29 that will help drivers navigate upcoming repair work on Interstate 5 in the downtown Sacramento area. Dubbed the “Boat Section,” this 0.75-mi. (1.2 km) segment of I-5 from R Street to Capitol Mall will undergo major renovation beginning this spring.

“Rebuilding this important section of Interstate 5 will ensure that it is in top condition to continue serving more than 190,000 daily travelers,” said Caltrans “Boat Section” Project Manager Ken Solak.

“Keeping the public informed through a specially created project Web site will help make travel during the construction period as seamless as possible.”

The site, www.fixI-5.com, will feature up-to-date information about the project, live traffic cameras, links to ridesharing and transit resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and historic photos. The public can sign up for e-mail alerts to receive the latest information about construction and lane closures. Truckers have their own web page where they can get alternate route information.

Another web page will feature specials by local businesses, called “Open for Business.” Banners are being installed today on I-5’s Capitol Mall overcrossing to alert motorists.

The “Boat Section” was constructed below the water level of the nearby Sacramento River. It was named back when it had to be drained in the late 1960’s as one of the last portions of Interstate 5 to be constructed. Over the years, sand and silt have created blockages in the drainage system. Those blockages have led to cracks and pavement deterioration. This critical project will repair that drainage system and replace the pavement.

A bid for this repair project, worth nearly $27 million, is currently being reviewed by Caltrans. The bid was submitted by C.C. Myers Incorporated of Rancho Cordova. If approved, work could begin in mid to late April.

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