Hwy 101 Improvements between Milpas and Hot Springs

Planned Work Activities:

Hwy 101 will continue to have 2 lanes open during the day in each direction.

– Cacique St. under-crossing: crews will be pouring the bridge deck on Tues, Oct. 19th; the southbound Hwy 101 hook off-ramp at Milpas St. will be closed from 6am to 2pm to enable the concrete pour; motorists can use the southbound Hwy 101 off-ramp to Milpas St. south during the closure

– Sycamore Creek bridge: stucco work on the sound wall over bridge; construction of gutters and guardrail in the shoulder areas approaching the bridge will be completed; approach slabs will be poured and paving leading up to the approach slabs will occur between Wed – Fri, Oct. 27th – 29th between 9pm and 6am there will be alternating nighttime lane closures on northbound Hwy 101 as needed between Salinas and Milpas Sts.

– Milpas St. under Hwy 101 closed at night as needed for bridge work; drivers can use the new Hwy 101 hook off-ramp and the Mason, Quarantina, and Cacique Sts. detour

– Southbound Hwy 101: grading for the freeway widening between Milpas St. and the new Hwy 101 southbound hook off-ramp at Milpas St.; guardrail work in the shoulder areas between Milpas St. and Los Patos Way

– Montecito: crews have removed temporary light poles used during the roundabout construction

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Hwy 101 bridge widening over Milpas St.:

Crews will continue rebar and falsework for the arches under the bridge and bridge deck. Please note: during bridge construction, clearance under the Hwy 101 bridges at Milpas St. will be 14’8″ through February 2011.

At night as needed, Milpas St. under Hwy 101 will be closed from 9pm to 6am weekdays. During the day, Milpas St. will have one lane open in each direction under Hwy 101 and the Hwy 101 on and off-ramps at Milpas St. will remain open. Drivers can use the new Hwy 101 hook off-ramp at Milpas St. and the Mason, Quarantina, and Cacique Sts. detour (see map below) during the nighttime closures.

Cacique St. under-crossing:

Crews will pour the new bridge deck on Tuesday, October 19th.

During this work, the southbound Hwy 101 hook off-ramp at Milpas St. will be closed from 6am to 2pm to enable the concrete pour. Motorists can use the southbound Hwy 101 off-ramp to Milpas St. south and the detour on Cacique, Quarantina, and Mason Streets during the closure (see map above).

Northbound Hwy 101:

At Sycamore Creek bridge, crews will complete stucco work on the new sound wall over the bridge. Work will also be completed on gutters and guardrail in the shoulder areas leading up to the bridge. Approach slabs for the bridge will be poured during the week of October 18th. Crews will then pave areas leading up to the approach slabs between Wednesday and Friday, October 27th – 29th. During paving, there will be alternating nighttime closures between 9pm and 6am on northbound Hwy 101 as needed between Salinas and Milpas Streets.

Southbound Hwy 101:

Grading will occur in the shoulder areas of southbound Hwy 101 to start the widening of lanes between Milpas St. and the new southbound Hwy 101 hook off-ramp at Milpas St. Crews will also work on extending guardrails in the shoulder area between Milpas St. and Los Patos Way.

Montecito:

Electrical crews have removed temporary light poles that were used in the roundabout construction.

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Rideshare Incentives:

SBCAG, Caltrans, and the project team are encouraging drivers to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips during construction with the Curb Your Commute program. Curb Your Commute with incentives and resources to help you reduce your time on the road and improve your quality of life. Traffic Solutions is offering carpool matching, enhanced bus service, commuter cash incentives, free vanpooling and employer assistance. Visit the online information.

The Highway 101 Operational Improvements between Milpas and Hot Springs include the reconstruction of two major interchanges, six new or improved bridges, freeway widening, and improvements to local streets and pedestrian pathways. The $53 million construction and landscaping project is funded by Proposition 1B and $13 million Measure D dollars. This project is a joint Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, Caltrans, and City of Santa Barbara highway and local street improvement program.

Construction is currently in Stage 2 work, and overall construction is anticipated through 2012. The majority of construction will occur behind concrete barriers during daytime work hours; some nighttime lane closures will occur. Motorists should expect an estimated 10 minutes of added travel time in each direction.