Rancheria gets highway safety funds

Safety improvements are on the horizon for the stretch of U.S. Highway 101 running through Smith River Rancheria.

Congressman Mike thompson, who represents Del Norte County, recently announced the awarding of a $2.5 million dollar grant provided by the Department of Transportation’s Tiger III program for the Rancheria.

“Of course this is beneficial to Smith River Rancheria, but it’s also tremendously beneficial to the entire county as a whole,” said tribal administrator Russ Crabtree.

 The rancheria is funding $632,000 of the $3.1 million project, which will use different methods to slow traffic on the section of 101 in the Rancheria, Crabtree said.

“That’s the community front door to Smith River Rancheria,” Crabtree said.

Shoulder rumble strips, new signage, new lighting and other improvements will be installed on a 1.3-mile stretch to reduce injuries and fatalities and improve walking and bicycling facilities.

“This grant will improve our road safety and strengthen our economy by putting people back to work renovating out-of-date infrastructure,” Thompson said in a press release. “Anyone who has driven along Highway 101 through the rancheria knows these improvements are long overdue.”

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