The City of Merced and the Merced Redevelopment Agency are building an $18 million four-lane road that will go under the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad tracks. Construction started in July and will finish by December 2011.

All businesses along G Street remain open, even though the road is closed to through traffic between 23rd and 25th Streets. Local detour signs will guide drivers to those businesses.

Once the project is finished, drivers will be able to cruise under the tracks while trains roll through town.

Residents can follow the progress of the G Street underpass construction with the help of a web-based camera. Every 20 minutes the camera takes three pictures of the work site, looking at G and 23rd streets, G and 24th streets and the railroad undercrossing. The camera operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Links to the photos are available on the City’s website, http://www.cityofmerced.org/.

The City awarded the $5,059,272.10 contract to Teichert Construction for the project. The City has encouraged Teichert to hire local employees and subcontractors whenever possible.

Information on the project will be posted on this website and also will be available for review in the City Engineers Office on the second floor of the Merced Civic Center, 678 W. 18th St.