The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the US has awarded a four-lane widening project on State Route 46 in Lost Hills to infrastructure company Granite.

The $20m contract will see the widening of a State Route 46 from a two-lane to a four-lane highway between post miles 29.7 and 31.9 in Kern County.

Granite area manager Darryl Ebel said: “We have a 45-year history of working with Caltrans District 6 to improve safety and mobility for the travelling public in California’s Central Valley.

“What makes this project unique is our construction of a new bridge over the California Aqueduct. Working over the aqueduct requires heightened awareness, planning, and execution to prevent environmental impacts.

“Granite’s environmental professionals will provide integrated project support by helping to plan operations and protect this critical water conveyance resource during all phases of the project.”

As well as the addition of two new lanes, the work includes the construction of a bridge over the California Aqueduct, which is claimed to be a high-intensity activated crosswalk beacon at the State Route 46 / Bruning Avenue intersection.

Granite will also build a large drainage basin on the west side of Lost Hills Road, as well as curb, gutter, and crosswalks.

For this project, Granite will use construction materials from its new Solari facility in Bakersfield, California.

Construction at the site is expected to begin this March and is likely to be completed by June next year.