Update: Caltrans spokesman Scott Burger said while traffic lanes will be slightly narrowed, most of the extra space for the bike lane will come from narrowing the left-hand shoulder.

The Safety Corridor has been all a-bustle lately — earth movers, dump trucks, surveyors and pickups galore.

Last week signs popped up at the Samoa Boulevard, 14th Street and Sunset Avenue interchanges and the Indianola Cutoff announcing overnight ramp closures as Caltrans prepares to widen bike lanes to 10 feet and repave them with red reddish-brown asphalt.

The pavement itself won’t be widened, said Caltrans spokesman Scott Burger, but the striping will be moved slightly to narrow the lanes of traffic.

The change is part of Caltrans’ contested safety corridor improvements.

From Caltrans:

Route 101 (79.8/87.8) – Paving from Eureka Slough Bridge to Arcata Overhead Bridge will continue. Nighttime hours are 7PM to 7AM, Sunday through Friday. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Motorists are advised to watch for bicyclists, and bicyclists will be accommodated through construction areas.

Beginning Wednesday, August 14, there will be intermittent full ramp and local street closures during nighttime work hours at the Indianola Cutoff, Bayside Road, Southbound Gannon Slough Bridge, Route 255/Arcata/Sunny Brea Exit (Exit 713), 14th Street Exit (Exit 714A), and Sunset Avenue Exit (Exit 714/714B).

No two consecutive onramps or offramps will be closed at the same time.

Motorists will be advised to seek an alternate route, and may experience minor delays. Contractor – Mercer Fraser Company of Eureka.