TRUCKEE – Caltrans is winding down its busy summer of construction on Interstate 80.

Every year in the Truckee-Tahoe region, earth-moving construction must be wrapped up and buttoned down by Oct. 15 or thereabouts to prepare for winter storms and subsequent run off, and area roadwork is no exception.

“The majority of the work will go right up until the winter hold,” said Rochelle Jenkins, spokeswoman for Caltrans. “Then we’ll start up again sometime next spring depending on how late our snow is.”

Four of the major I-80 projects should be complete before winter, she said – the Goldrun project that has detoured trucks to Nevada City; Donner Two on the west side of Donner Summit; Nyak and; Rainbow Road.

“Everybody has been really good. They’re on schedule and there have been no major significant delays that they haven’t been able to overcome,” Jenkins said.

Work on the Truckee side of Donner Summit and down the Truckee River Canyon to the state line will continue next year, but the roads should be wide-open through the winter.

“It will look like its done except for the construction signs – there will be four lanes and everything will be snow prepped,” Jenkins said.

The last project on I-80 will start next summer from Colfax to Nyak, costing $167 million, she said, adding that all work will be done by fall 2013.

“This is all non-stimulus money. This is California taking care of California – (a) half-billion worth of work employing about 9,000 people,” Jenkins said.

Drainage improvement work on highways 89 and 267, from Truckee to Tahoe, should also finish around Oct. 15, before starting up again next summer.