Wider and Safer Highway 140 Now Open to Yosemite By Mike Conway Modesto Bee - October 19, 2000 EL PORTAL -- After two years and $33 million, Yosemite National Park officials Wednesday officially dedicated a new and improved section of Highway 140 leading into Yosemite Valley. The 6.4-mile stretch is kinder to drivers and gentler on nerves. Curves were straightened, the road widened from 9 1/2 to 11 feet and the guard wall rebuilt to meet tougher federal standards. About 200 people showed up for the National Park Service dedication ceremony, along with close to three dozen protesters who said the project damaged the environment. "Most future visitors will not appreciate this particular masterpiece ... that is transporting them to a magical, special place called Yosemite Valley," said Park Superintendent Dave Mihalic. The road work created troubles for park visitors, employees and businesses in surrounding communities as Highway 140 was subject to daily closures. Much of the work was conducted at night, especially during the summer months, to make access easier. The project became necessary in January 1997 when heavy storms flooded the Merced River, washing out huge sections of the road and closing Highway 140 for five months. The reconstructed highway follows the path of the original 1907 dirt wagon road. It was upgraded to a two-lane road in 1926 and remained pretty much the same until the flood gave engineers an opportunity to correct some problems. Bill DeLaney, chief of project management for the park, said an RV or bus would cross over the center line 22 times on the old road. "They had Model A's when they built it." To widen the road, crews cut into the rock walls and in places had to drill 30 feet into the granite to bolt the rocks to the face of the mountain. The four miles of historical rock wall that lined much of the road was reconstructed out of concrete. The wall was painted and metal flecks were added to duplicate the look of the original granite. "This is not a program to be proud of, it's one to be ashamed of," said Joyce Eden of the Sierra Club's Yosemite Committee. She said the road widening destabilized rocks on the uphill side, and added dirt and silt that will be washed into the river on the downhill side. "It's way more unstable than it was before," Eden said. But she conceded, "It is good for the community that the road is open." Jay Watson, regional director of The Wilderness Society, disagreed with the protesters. "The road looks damned good," he said, lauding the park service for maintaining the "mountain character" of the road, but keeping the Merced River as the focal point.