Gaviota Tunnel Lanes to Be Resurfaced

Northbound travelers will want to take care as they near the Gaviota Tunnel, which lies about 40 miles north of Santa Barbara, as work begins Sunday to repave the highway lanes through the tunnel. Slow and occasionally halted traffic will likely result from intermittent lane closures.

Caltrans will begin repaving the northbound lanes of Highway 101 through the Gaviota Tunnel on Sunday, May 8, closing lanes between 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays. On Fridays, lanes will reopen a bit earlier at 1 p.m. No work will occur on Saturdays. The paving will take place as far as a mile south of the State Route 1 turnoff.

Also, beginning Monday, May 9, State Route 154 will be resurfaced during daylight hours between the 101 to one mile west of Foxen Canyon Road near Los Olivos. The work runs Monday-Thursday, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and until 1 p.m. on Fridays.

Both projects will continue through the month of May and are expected to finish in June. Santa Maria’s CalPortland won the contract for both jobs, which are budgeted to total $700,000.