I-80 Lane Closure Could Cause Major Delays For Weekend Travelers Heading To Tahoe

SACRAMENTO (KCBS) -- If you're heading to Tahoe or anywhere past North Sacramento this weekend from the Bay Area, you might want to add some time for delays with a major freeway closure planned.

Caltrans construction work will close all but one lane of Westbound I-80 for a ten mile stretch, causing what could be hours-long delays.

"They could see backups as far as Roseland if things don't go according to plan," Caltrans Spokesman Dennis Keaton said.

If you've been up to the mountains anytime in the last 6 years, you've seen the work in progress on the $133 million freeway widening project underway since 2011. For the final road striping, Caltrans is closing most of Westbound I-80 from Watt Avenue to the Yolo county line.

Drivers can avoid this by taking I-80 Business, also called the Capitol City Freeway, or staying off the freeway altogether. The closures begin Friday night until Sunday at noon just before the Bay Area bound rush begins. All this is to get the whole project wrapped up by years end.

"Most of it will be done by late November, so the pain and the suffering that everyone has been dealing with will be put to rest," Keaton said.