As motorists make use of the long-awaited opening of two additional lanes on Highway 49 at the intersection of La Barr Meadows Road for the first time today, California transportation officials will appear before the a Nevada County committee to justify a request for funding to cover a $840,000 cost overrun. The California Department of Transportation’s justification will come as the Nevada County Transportation Commission decides whether to transfer $420,000 of funding away from future projects to cover the over-budgeted expenses on the nearly $30 million project to widen Highway 49 south of Grass Valley. If the commission chooses not …