Drivers heading south on Highway 101 through Montecito will notice a big change starting Saturday night. On July 12, traffic will be shifted into the median, where lanes will be divided by safety barriers between Olive Mill Road and Posilipo Lane. The shift allows crews to keep two lanes open during the day while they work on widening the freeway and replacing overpasses.
As part of the change:
- The southbound on-ramp at Olive Mill Road will close for about nine months.
- The southbound off-ramp at San Ysidro Road will close for about three months.
- Drivers can use the Sheffield Drive on- and off-ramps as detours. All lanes will remain standard width, and electronic signs are in place to guide drivers through the new configuration.
This work is part of the ongoing 101 widening project, which will eventually add a carpool lane in each direction between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.
Meanwhile, a separate 101 project just wrapped up near Goleta: Construction on the San Jose Creek Bridge is now complete, with all lanes open in both directions.
However, work continues on the adjacent bridge along Highway 217. That project has reduced traffic to one lane each way, and the on-ramp at Sandspit Road is still closed. A wider bike path is also in progress. Caltrans says the 217 work is expected to finish in summer 2026.For project updates and detour maps, visit SBROADS.com.
[Click to zoom] Construction has been completed on the US 101 San Jose Creek Bridge Project with two lanes open for travel in each direction within its original configuration. | Credit: Caltrans District 5
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