Midway may close

A stretch of the Midway between Durham and Richvale may be closed for an estimated 18 months to replace two century-old bridges.

The Butte County Board of Supervisors considered two separate plans for the bridge replacement, and voted unanimously Tuesday (Jan. 26) to pursue the option to build in the current location of two bridges spanning Butte Creek and its overflow.

According to a staff report, the alternative wouldn’t require a prolonged road closure because the bridge would be built west of the existing roadway at a cost of $14.5 million. However, area residents favored the closure plan, as it costs about $1 million less and requires farmers to give up less land.

The project is scheduled to break ground in June 2017. About 1,200 vehicles would be detoured daily during construction.