Closures planned for Highway 101 project
As part of the Highway 101 widening project in Carpinteria, Caltrans crews are continuing to build the bridge span, also known as the superstructure, at the Evans Avenue undercrossing.
CARPINTERIA — Several lane closures are planned this week as work continues on the Highway 101 widening project in Carpinteria.
From 9 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Monday, one northbound lane will be closed from North Padaro Lane to Sheffield Drive. A similar closure will be in place during overnight hours Monday to Friday, according to Caltrans officials.
From 10 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Monday, one southbound lane will be closed from Sheffield Drive to North Padaro Lane, as well as between Santa Claus Lane and Bailard Avenue. A similar closure will be in place during overnight hours Monday to Friday, which will also include the onramp at Bailard Avenue.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday, the southbound onramp at Bailard Avenue will be closed as needed.
Over the next few weeks, crews will be finishing up work on the south side of the Highway in Carpinteria and will then shift lanes onto the new median and southbound areas. During the week of March 28, motorists are advised to expect alternating closures of southbound freeway ramps. Consecutive ramps in the same direction will not be closed at the same time, officials said.
The southbound onramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for the duration of the project, with an anticipated reopening date set for 2023. The offramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for up to 16 months and could reopen by the end of 2021.
The offramp at Carpinteria Avenue will be closed for up to seven weeks and is expected to reopen on March 29. The offramp at Linden Avenue reopened on March 18.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, one southbound lane will be closed near Casitas Pass Road.
Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic at the Evans Avenue undercrossing during daytime work.
Temporary stop signs will be installed at the intersection of Sheffield Drive and North Jameson Lane for the duration of construction of the Summerland segment.
Crews will continue to install underground storm drains between Sheffield Drive and North Padaro Lane.
Work will also continue on the retaining walls, temporary supports and bridge span at the Sheffield Drive interchange. Work will continue on the retaining walls, temporary supports and bridge spans in the area.
“As part of the longterm habitat and bird protection plan, biologists and arborists have removed old nests, installed visual deterrents, and will use auditory deterrents to discourage cormorant nesting within the construction area,” read a Caltrans news release. “This effort is to encourage the birds to nest outside the construction zone. At the end of the nesting season, the visual deterrents (beach-ball type balloons, flash tape, etc.) will be removed. Trees will remain as part of the longterm habitat. Biologists are on-site monitoring this effort.”
Construction work is continuing on the new bridge span at the Evans Avenue undercrossing, and concrete recycling is ongoing at the North Padaro Lane interchange.
Crews will also be working on pre-construction activities as needed for the Parado segment of the project, which will add a new, third freeway lane in each direction and new bridges over Toro and Arroyo Parida creeks.
At the South Padaro Lane Undercrossing, the bridge and on- and offramps will be replaced. At the North Padaro Lane Interchange, new on and offramp improvements will be built. There will also be three new sound walls built.
The majority of work will occur in the median and near the South Padaro/Santa Claus Lane on- and offramps.
Following construction, 108 new oak trees will be planted and the center median between Santa Claus and North Padaro lanes will feature the Blue Star Symbol and oak leaves as an update to the Memorial Oaks section to commemorate World War I service.
Crews will continue work on southbound 101 and various ramps as part of the Highway 101: Carpinteria project. The work includes installing rebar and pouring concrete for the Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement for southbound highway lanes and offramp. For the Bailard Avenue ramps, crews will pave the gore areas, known as the areas between the lanes and ramps.
Construction work for temporary ramp improvements at Santa Monica Road is continuing.
Work is also ongoing on the approach areas and safety barriers near Franklin and Santa Monica creek bridges.
Also, crews are installing in-and-out blocks for the new sound wall between Carpinteria and Santa Ynez avenues.
In addition, a landscaping contractor is planting and mulching along southbound 101 between Linden Avenue and Casitas Pass Road and Via Real.
For more information on the project, visit www.sbroads.com.
— Mitchell White
