South Entrance Station Reestablish Exit Lane

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This road improvement project will increase visitor and employee safety at the South Entrance Station. The proposed project includes re-establishing the old road alignment for exiting southbound traffic from Yosemite National Park and repairing the existing pavement surrounding the South Entrance kiosk.

The proposed project would reduce congestion and the amount of large vehicle traffic entering the intersection. Large vehicles currently have to make sharp 90 degree turns thru two existing kiosk structures (one of which is historic) in order to exit. The existing kiosk structures are continually (approximately once every week) being damaged by large vehicles exiting thru the south bound kiosk lane. The proposed project would also help improve safety by reducing congestion at the intersection, as well as the related visitor and employee anger and frustration as they wait up to 1.45 hours to enter thru the South Entrance Station kiosk.

The project would improve safety by allowing exiting vehicular traffic to make a gentle right-turn prior to entering the existing congested intersection. This would entail:
• Completing an initial geotechnical investigation to determine the roads design profile. This would include two borings up to ten feet deep (six inches in diameter) and three borings up to two feet deep (six inches in diameter).
• Removing 12 trees between 12 – 36 inches in diameter.
• Regrading and compacting the road subgrade. The compacted fill and base material would be used to create a structurally sound subbase.
• Installing final compacted asphalt pavement.
• Adding curbing, pavement markings and signage.
• Installing rumble strips and LED stop signs.
• Relocating the existing barriers with new curb features.
• Relocating telecommunication and power lines, a light pole, as well as abandonment of an existing ventilation shaft.