Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect Rehabilitate Generals Highway from Amphitheater Point to Deer Ridge and Wolverton Road to Little Baldy Pullout

Originally constructed for wagon traffic, portions of the Generals Highway have been in continuous use since 1926. Under modern usage, the roadway is rapidly deteriorating and showing signs of structural instability. Additionally, lanes and turning radius on switchbacks are not of consistent or appropriate width and do not meet current federal highway standards.

The rehabilitation of the 40 mile, main park roadway began in 1993. Work has been planned and completed in smaller sections in order to minimize the impact on the visiting public. The next two sections of the Generals Highway proposed for rehabilitation are the 1.5 mile section from Amphitheater Point to Deer Ridge and 8.5 miles of roadway between Wolverton Road and the Little Baldy Trailhead.

The EA analyzes the environmental impacts that may occur from two different alternatives: the no action alternative and the preferred action alternative. The preferred alternative would entail replacing or reconstructing existing retaining walls, guard walls, cantilever bridges, and drainage structures. The project would also involve removing and replacing curbing, replacing metal guardrails, widening existing travel lanes to a consistent width, improving the turning radius on switchbacks, and redesigning and relocating some parking and pullout areas. A bridge would be constructed over Halstead Meadow, allowing the upper and lower portions of the wetland to be reconnected and restored, and prohibiting annual flooding of the road during spring runoff.

Document Content:

Environmental Assessment Assessment of Effect Rehabilitate Generals Highway   (1.3 MB, PDF file) Generals Highway EA AoE press release   (58.0 KB, Word file) Superintendent EA release letter   (463.5 KB, Word file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.