Closures planned for Highway 101 project
On the south side of the 101 between Carpinteria and Santa Ynez avenues, crews will excavate and install underground supports for new wall sections, as shown here. Work will then progress to building the wall footings and rebar installation.
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 Linden Avenue to Sheffield Drive. Similar intermittent overnight closures are planned Monday through Thursday, according to Caltrans officials.
From 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, the northbound offramps at South Padaro and Santa Claus lanes, as well as Evans Avenue, will also be closed.
From 10 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Monday, one southbound lane will be closed from Sheffield Drive to Linden Avenue. Similar overnight closures are planned Monday through Thursday.
From 8 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, the southbound onramp at Santa Claus Lane will be closed.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday, the offramp at Casitas Pass Road will be closed as needed. The onramp at Reynolds Avenue will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, according to officials.
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 reopened on Monday. The offramp at Carpinteria Avenue will be closed for up to seven weeks as early as Feb. 8, and the offramp at Linden Avenue will be closed for five weeks as early as Feb. 15.
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 install underground storm drains between Sheffield Drive and North Padaro Lane. Crews have removed old nests, installed visual deterrents and will use auditory deterrents to discourage cormorant nesting within the construction area.
Crews will also continue building footings, installing rebar and pouring concrete for columns, side supports and retaining walls for the new bridges in the median at the Sheffield Drive interchange.
Work is also ongoing for the Evans Avenue undercrossing. This includes 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 few 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 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 finish up curb and gutter installation for the new lanes and ramps near Reynolds Avenue. Crews will also work on intersection and crosswalk improvements at Carpinteria and Reynolds avenues.
On the south side of the 101 between Carpinteria and Santa Ynez avenues, crews will excavate and install underground supports for new wall sections. Work will then progress to building the wall footings and rebar installation.
Crews will continue to pave the southbound area 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 in the roadway. Flaggers will direct traffic as needed.
In addition, a landscaping contractor is working on new irrigation lines and is planting along southbound 101 between Linden Avenue and Casitas Pass Road.
— Mitchell White
Amtrak service suspended due to track damage
Pacific Surfliner and Amtrak train service between Goleta and San Luis Obispo has been suspended until further notice due to track damage caused by the recent storm.
Bus service remains available at all stations, except the Lompoc station. Buses are not able to turn at the Lompoc station, which is why it has been temporarily removed from the schedules, according to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.
Those traveling out of Lompoc were offered to rebook at Guadalupe, which is the nearest station accessible by bus.
Train 777, which departed San Diego on Saturday and today, will terminate at Goleta. Alternate transportation will be provided. Train 774 was also removed from the schedule, officials said.
— Mitchell White
