Closures planned for Highway 101 project
Caltrans crews will continue excavating near the Sheffield Drive interchange and installing shoring piles to support the construction zone, as shown here.
CARPINTERIA — Several lane closures are planned this week as work continues on the Linden and Casitas Pass Highway 101 widening project in Carpinteria.
From 9 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Monday, one northbound lane will be closed from Bailard Avenue to North Padaro Lane. The closure will also include the onramps and offramps at South Padaro and Santa Claus lanes. Similar intermittent overnight closures are planned Monday through Thursday, according to Caltrans officials.
From 10 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Monday, one southbound lane will be closed from Santa Claus Lane to Linden Avenue. The closure will also include the offramps at South Padaro and Santa Claus lanes.
From 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, one southbound lane will be closed from Sheffield Drive to Linden Avenue, as well as the onramps and offramps at Evans and Wallace avenues.
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 onramp and offramp at Reynolds Avenue will be closed up to 16 weeks, but could reopen by the end of the month. The offramp at Carpinteria Avenue will be closed for up to seven weeks after the ramps at Reynolds Avenue reopen, officials said.
Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic at the Evans Avenue undercrossing during daytime peak periods. 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. To view detour maps, visit www.sbroads.com and select the project segment.
Crews will work on temporary safety barriers, replace damaged guardrail, fence environmentally-sensitive areas, remove old cormorant nests and install “visual deterrents to encourage nesting outside of the construction zone, and install underground storm drains,” officials said.
Crews will also continue excavating near the Sheffield Drive interchange and installing shoring piles to support the construction zone. In addition, work on the side support for the new southbound bridge and retaining walls will continue.
Work is also ongoing for the Evans Avenue undercrossing. This includes removal of an old utility line and continued excavation and installation of underground supports between the 101 bridges for the new upcoming bridge. Daytime noise is expected over the next two weeks.
Over the next five weeks, in compliance with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife requirements related to bird nesting, crews will undertake pre-construction work to clear trees and vegetation so that construction can begin on the Padaro segment of the project. The project 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 off-ramps will be replaced. At the North Padaro Lane Interchange, new on- and off-ramp 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 off-ramps.
Crews will continue placing rebar and concrete as part of the new reinforced pavement for new lanes and ramps near Reynolds Avenue. Crews will also pour concrete for improvements at the intersection of Carpinteria and Reynolds avenues. Crews will be finishing up activities so ramps can reopen later this month, at which point work will progress to the southbound offramp at Carpinteria Avenue. Crews will begin clearing vegetation on the northbound side for the next stage of work.
Work continues on the bridge supports at Franklin and Santa Moncia creeks.
Work is also continuing along southbound 101 between Carpinteria and Santa Ynez avenues. Crews will excavate and install underground supports for new wall sections, and work will then progress to building the wall footings and rebar installation.
Crews will also be paving the southbound areas between the freeway lanes and ramps near Bailard Avenue. On Via Real near the mobile home parks, crews will repave roadway areas and remove an existing bump on the roadway. Flaggers will direct traffic as needed.
A landscaping contractor is working on new irrigation lines and is planting along southbound Highway 101 between Linden Avenue and Casitas Pass Road.
For more information, visit www.sbroads.com or call 805-845-5112.
— Mitchell White
