Caltrans District 5 reaches $1B in active road projects

CENTRAL COAST — Caltrans District 5 has reached a historic milestone with 83 total projects worth more than $1 billion in active construction to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties.

“This is a landmark achievement for the district, which has grown in population over the years,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades. “We are pleased that we have created, completed and continue to construct projects that will improve infrastructure for all travelers whether by foot, bicycle, bus or automobile on the Central Coast.”

Current projects include:

• $78 million to rehabilitate pavement on six miles of Highway 101 and to retrofit and widen the Salinas River Bridge near King City in Monterey County. The project will provide a safer driving surface and strengthen the bridges to withstand a future seismic event.
• $13.7 million to construct a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of State Routes 25 and 156, north of Hollister in San Benito County.
• $5.4 million to build a Wildlife Undercrossing near Scotts Valley on Highway 17 at the Laurel Curve from .6 miles south of Laurel Road to .2 miles north of Laurel Road in Santa Cruz County.
• $116 million to widen Highway 46 East from the Shandon Roadside Rest Area to west of the Jack Ranch Café in Cholame in San Luis Obispo County. This project will convert a two-lane divided highway into a four-lane expressway. It follows four completed phases from Paso Robles to Cholame with future plans to improve the Highway 46/41 intersection.
• $96 million to construct the first ever carpool lanes in Santa Barbara County on Highway 101 through Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County. This recently completed segment is part of a five phase, $700 million congestion relief project. The Carpinteria portion includes new on and offramps, new bridges, new sound walls, and improved intersections for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Project funding sources include Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) and other state, federal, and local sources.