Highway 101 Construction Timing
The project team behind the 101 expansion and associated projects in Montecito are making the rounds this week, preparing the community for impending traffic delays. Representatives for the project, along with spokesperson Kirsten Ayars, will be at the Montecito Inn this week, on Thursday, June 1, at 4 pm, to discuss the staging timeline for the 101 expansion through Montecito.
Caltrans will add a new peak-period carpool lane in each direction in the Montecito corridor from the Romero Creek Bridge north to Olive Mill Road along with new on- and off-ramps. There will also be northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes (lanes connecting on-ramps and off-ramps to improve merging) between San Ysidro and Olive Mill roads. New bridges will be built over Romero, San Ysidro, and Oak creeks.
Construction is scheduled from mid-June 2023 through 2026. Funding in the Advanced Work area is provided by state and regional funds and Measure A. Funding for the remainder of the project is expected to be announced later in June.
During this summer, mid-June until school starts, the focus will be on the San Ysidro Overcrossing. Crews will replace the safety railings on each side of the bridge, work on the ramps, and build the main portion of the roundabout. This will result in the closure of the overcrossing to vehicles; pedestrians will still have access.
Late this summer/fall, construction will begin on Highway 101 with vegetation clearing, work in the median in the advanced work area (essentially San Ysidro to Olive Mill), and on the southbound shoulder. Crews will be strengthening the pavement in the median and shoulder to enable lane shifts. After that is ready, lanes will be shifted in the spring of 2024 so that work on the northbound side can occur.
According to Ayars, this general pattern is similar to the other segments: Carpinteria, Padaro, Summerland. The Montecito segment is more constricted and physically tighter, so it is a challenge.
To keep up-to-date on the expansion plans, sign up for updates at www.sbroads.com.
