SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco District issued a Department of the Army individual permit to the California Department of Transportation authorizing construction of a highway bypass project near Willits, Calif. The permit allows Caltrans to proceed with its plans toreroute a segment of U.S. Highway 101 around the city.
The permit officially went into effect on Feb. 21 following signatures by Corps and Caltrans representatives.
Project Description
The project is a four-lane freeway segment of U.S. 101 that would bypass the City of Willits with several bridges spanning creeks and local roads, a viaduct spanning the floodway, and interchanges on either end of the bypass. Project construction would result in the discharge of fill material into approximately 82 acres of waters of the United States, including wetlands.
To compensate for the direct loss and/or impacts to 82 acres of waters and wetlands of the United States resulting from bypass construction, the applicant proposes a mitigation and monitoring plan (MMP) that would off-set impacts through a combination of restoration, establishment and enhancement actions. The bypass project would be constructed in two phases; thus, mitigation for project impacts would occur concurrently with the phased-project construction.
For more information, please contact Brandon Beach, San Francisco District Public Affairs chief, at
415-503-6804/6958.
Release no. 12-003