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Caltrans eyes spring 2016 start on 67/Dye changes

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Improvements to the state Route 67 and Highland Valley/Dye Road intersection could begin in spring 2016 and be completed by fall 2018, according to Caltrans.

Currently in the design phase, the improvements are expecting to decrease the back-ups that occur at the intersection during morning and afternoon commutes by 80 percent.

Estimated to cost $14 million, the project will be funded with approximately $11 million through Caltrans’ State Highway and Protection Program and just over $3 million in San Diego County Transportation Impact Fees, said a Caltrans spokesperson.

Ramona Community Planning Group member Carl Hickman noted at the planners’ Dec. 4 meeting that the price tag for the improvements has gradually risen over the years from $4 million to $14 million.

Changes will include widening SR-67 from two to four lanes through the intersection and reconfiguring the intersection to accommodate a wider turn radius for commercial trucks. Both Dye and Highland Valley roads will be widened approaching the intersection to allow for a second left-turn lane on the highway, bike lanes on the shoulders, and an equestrian trail on the northerly side of both roads, reported Caltrans. Other improvements include push-button pedestrian crossings, upgraded drainage and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant concrete curbs.

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