Redwoods win out over road in judge's ruling ENVIRONMENT He says Caltrans' Humboldt County road project may harm ancient trees

In this photo taken July 28, 2010, a truck carrying a load of lumber drives through a narrow stretch of Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park, Calif. Richardson Grove State Park is called the gateway to Humboldt County but officials and local businesses say this narrow roadway is actually a barrier to the region's economic growth. (AP Photo/The Sacramento Bee, Manny Crisostomo) MAGS OUT; TV OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT less In this photo taken July 28, 2010, a truck carrying a load of lumber drives through a narrow stretch of Highway 101 through Richardson Grove State Park, Calif. Richardson Grove State Park is called the ... more Photo: Manny Crisostomo, AP Photo: Manny Crisostomo, AP Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Redwoods win out over road in judge's ruling 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A federal judge has blocked the state from widening a narrow 1-mile stretch of U.S. 101 in Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County to make room for trucks, saying construction could endanger redwoods that soar 300 feet above the highway and are thousands of years old.

In an injunction issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco acknowledged that the state Department of Transportation project may benefit the region's economy by "providing easier, safer and cheaper access to transportation" of goods.

But he said a group of North Coast residents and environmental organizations who sued Caltrans produced evidence that the project poses "a risk of irreparable harm" to the redwoods and endangered bird species.

In weighing the competing interests, "the scale tips sharply to the safety of our 3,000-year-old redwood trees," Alsup said. "The public interest is best served by letting the ancients thrive a little longer while the merits of their future are evaluated in court."

He prohibited Caltrans from awarding or soliciting contracts for the project, an order that the agency previously said would delay January's scheduled start of construction by a year. Alsup scheduled a hearing Dec. 1 on whether to order Caltrans to conduct a new environmental study and consider alternatives, which would require further delays.

As U.S. 101 enters the park, 200 miles north of San Francisco, it narrows to a winding two-lane road, 22 feet wide, bordered closely by redwoods.

With a few exceptions, long freight-hauling trucks are barred from the road because of safety concerns, requiring lengthy detours - 446 miles extra on a round-trip from Oakland to Eureka, Alsup said.

Caltrans says its plan to widen the road would require cutting down 54 trees, including six redwoods, none of them old-growth. But opponents say the proposed removal and replacement of soil would weaken the root system of the entire grove and damage or kill many redwoods.

Alsup said one forestry expert presented a "convincing analysis" that the project would cause substantial damage to the trees. He said Caltrans, which concluded that the project posed no significant threat of environmental harm, may have disregarded experts' warnings and relied on untested measures to protect the redwoods.

Phil Gregory, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said they would urge the state to consider alternatives to road-widening, such as reducing the speed limit or restricting the road to one-way traffic late at night so that trucks could use both lanes.

Caltrans spokeswoman Julie East said the agency is disappointed but stands behind its Richardson Grove plan, which she called "a small project that will remove a long-standing transportation restriction."