ConDig (24-May–23)  Civil contractor and construction materials producer Granite Construction has driven off with a $29 million contract to widen a section of Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, California.

Under the deal with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Watsonville-based contractor will build four retaining walls, one soldier pile retaining wall, and a 650 ft. long box girder pedestrian bridge over Hwy 1 at Chanticleer Avenue. 

The freeway widening will involve both directions of Hwy 1 from Soquel Avenue to 41st Avenue in Capitola, with an additional lane of travel in each direction being added to the existing earth median, according to the contractor. 

Granite added that it aims to utilize 27,000 tons of subbase and base from its nearby plants and 18,600 tons of hot mix asphalt (HMA) from its Salinas Hot Plant.

The project is slated to start this month and scheduled for completion in December 2024.

“We are committed to minimizing the impact on the local community and will work closely with Caltrans to ensure that any necessary lane closures or detours are clearly communicated to the public in advance, and that all construction activities are carried out with the utmost care and attention to safety,” said Granite vice president of regional operations, Brent Fogg. 

“Granite is proud to contribute to the development of Santa Cruz County’s infrastructure. We have a long-standing commitment to safety and excellence and will bring this dedication to every aspect of the project.”

Earlier this month, Granite Construction secured a $65 million pre-construction contract to upgrade the Parks Highway in Alaska.

In April, Granite secured a $126 million contract for the construction of buildings and infrastructure that will support the relocation of U.S. Marines to Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz, Guam.