Community Forum to Discuss Caltrans Highway 49 Improvements and Roundabout Plans

Nevada County residents will have an opportunity to engage directly with transportation officials on February 20 as part of a Community Forum dedicated to discussing Caltrans' 2026 infrastructure plans for the region.

The free one-hour event will be held at Sierra College's Nevada County campus in auditorium room N-12 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Terry McAteer, former County Superintendent of Schools and Steering Committee member for Community Forum, will moderate the discussion.

A panel of transportation experts will present and discuss five major projects:

Highway 49 Widening Project: Improvements to Highway 49 between McKnight and La Barr Meadows Road to expand capacity and improve traffic flow.

Fire Evacuation Lane: Addition of a dedicated fire evacuation lane on Highway 49 in South County, addressing emergency response and community safety during fire events.

Highway 49 and Highway 20 Interchange: Improvements to the intersection in Nevada City to enhance safety and traffic management.

New Roundabouts: Two new roundabout projects—one near the Rood Center and one planned for downtown Grass Valley—to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety in urban areas.

The panel will include Caltrans Project Manager Sam Vandell, Caltrans Engineer Jeff Johnson, and Mike Woodman, Executive Director of the Nevada County Transportation Commission. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed projects.

This forum provides residents an important opportunity to learn details about infrastructure investments that will affect traffic patterns, emergency response, and community connectivity throughout Nevada County. The discussion comes as the region faces ongoing transportation challenges related to growth, fire season preparedness, and aging infrastructure.