Construction crews work to relocate the driveway at 321 Old State Route 49 in Sutter Creek. Photo by: Roger Phelps

After the Sutter Creek bypass project ruined safe vehicle access for a Sutter Creek medical complex, two years passed while state officials tried to figure out a way to make amends.

Now, the Department of Transportation has commissioned work to restore safe left-turn access to and egress from the complex at 321 Old State Route 49. It will be a relief for clients who just want to drive back down the hill into Sutter Creek without being forced onto the bypass route. Equally, it will aid clients coming from Jackson on the bypass who must pass the complex's location on Old State Route 49 and turn around at an intersection downhill.

"They're relocating the driveway further from the new signalized intersection," said Charles Field, executive director of the Amador County Transportation Commission. "You'll be allowed to make a left turn."

Clients of Dr. Lionel Richards, DDS have been significantly inconvenienced, Richards said. Others might have been risking their safety by simply breaking the no-left-turn law, according to Richards.

Field described as a "nightmare" the complexities arising from Caltrans' original flub in project design.

"They missed it when they were working on the bypass," Field said. "They wanted to close out the bypass contract, and didn't want to add this. They didn't have a method to pay for it out of the contract. They wanted Dr. Richards to file a claim."

Richards said Caltrans has promised to reimburse him for project cost.

"It's been cumbersome," he said. "It's taken forever."

Richards hired a pair of Sutter Creek firms to engineer and complete the project. They are Weber Ghio & Associates and Wolin and Sons.

District 4 Amador County Supervisor Louis Boitano said constant pressure from public officials was necessary to "break loose" money from Caltrans for a fix-it project.

"We went as far as State Sen. Dave Cox, to get his help," Boitano said. "We finally started getting response from Caltrans."

Field said the work will cost around $50,000.