WILLITS, Calif. – The first phase of the Willits Willits Rehabilitation and Relinquishment of Old Highway 101 will launch on Sunday, Jan. 21.

Thirteen trees will be removed on Main Street in advance of the sidewalk replacement project to begin late spring 2018.  

The tree work is being scheduled in advance of the bird nesting season as to not disrupt wildlife.  

The trees will be removed over two days with work taking place on two consecutive Sundays, Jan. 21 and 28 to minimize disruption to businesses and motorists.

Residents will notice tree stumps remaining for a period of time until the actual work on the sidewalk begins.
Caltrans worked collaboratively with the City of Willits in identifying the trees to be removed in advance of the sidewalk and utility phase of the project.

Additionally a local nursery owner served on the tree identification team. The trees that were identified were those with structure or health problems sufficient to warrant removal with or without the relinquishment project.

“The removal of the trees is the initiation of the relinquishment project,” said Willits Community Development Director Dusty Duley. “We are working with Caltrans to ensure construction will assist in the implementation of the Willits Downtown Main Street program that the local residents and businesses worked so hard on to adopt.”
The Willits Rehabilitation and Relinquishment of Old Highway 101 project will bring the road into good repair and then turn it over the city of Willits and the county of Mendocino.

Phase one work includes upgrading sidewalks and curbs to current accessibility standards, upgrades to existing drainage facilities, slurry seal, and restriping.  

Phase two includes grinding, paving and restriping the roadway.  

Construction for Phase 1 is expected to begin in May of 2018 and will be completed by December of 2019.  

The schedule for Phase 2 is expected to begin in May of 2020 and end in July of 2020.