Those intending on hopping on the northbound lanes of Hwy. 101 this afternoon may want to take surface streets instead. The closure of Hwy. 217 – which leads from the 101 to UCSB – closed today for Caltrans grinding and paving, and this has caused considerably slower going for the 101 as far back as the El Sueno Road exit. The Caltrans work was scheduled to have completed by 3 p.m. today, but some motorists are still reporting that they would have rather avoided the jam altogether.
Caltrans offers a live video feed of 101 traffic at the Patterson Avenue exit. It may pay to check on traffic conditions before heading out for the day.