Caltrans District 4 San Mateo County Newsletter

Bay Mud No Match for Giant Drills on U.S. 101/SR-92 Short-term Improvements Project

The first phase of Caltrans’ U.S. 101/SR-92 Interchange Improvement Project is underway, enhancing safety for drivers by improving the westbound State Route 92 to the southbound U.S. 101 off-ramp.

During this initial phase, crews have been constructing bridge foundations, drilling 140 feet through dense bay mud. Piles — the deep foundations that support bridge columns and, ultimately, the ramp’s superstructure — were poured nightly throughout September.

To complete this work, large casings and reinforcing cages had to be positioned at the center of the loop ramp. Because of their size and weight, the materials were hoisted up and over the ramp using a towering 370-foot crane — an impressive sight on the project site.

Each pile measures up to seven feet in diameter, allowing crews to drill and pour only one large pile per night. Smaller piles, ranging from three to four feet in diameter, were installed at a rate of two per night. To ensure lasting strength, Caltrans crews placed probes into PVC tubes in the concrete piles to test the density of the concrete. These probes transmit real-time readings to the construction team, allowing them to confirm the concrete’s quality or respond quickly to any issues that arise.

The next phase of construction begins in November, when crews will install falsework, which are temporary structures that support concrete for the widened bridge section. This step will enable crews to build the bridge’s superstructure.

Check out aerial drone footage from October 2025 capturing the early stages of construction and offering a bird’s-eye view of progress at the U.S. 101/SR-92 interchange.

Construction Manager Peter Lam.

University Avenue/U.S. 101 Pedestrian Overcrossing Brings Connectivity to East Palo Alto

The U.S. 101/University Avenue Pedestrian Overcrossing and Interchange Project in East Palo Alto has reached its final milestone with the completion of construction. It features a pedestrian and bicycle overcrossing north of the existing University Avenue bridge, along with a Class I bikeway connecting Woodland Avenue on the west to Donohoe Street on the east. The City of East Palo Alto and other project sponsors are pleased to celebrate the connectivity this project brings to the area.

By providing a dedicated path for people walking and biking, it reconnects neighborhoods long divided by U.S. 101 and supports safer, more sustainable travel options for East Palo Alto residents. Now residents on the west side of the city can more easily access services on the eastside, including the YMCA, City Hall, shops, and parks.

The project furthers Caltrans and its partners’ commitment to equity, climate action, and safety for the community with a Class I trail for pedestrian traffic and bike lanes welcoming cyclists.

The final signage, permanent pavement striping, guardrails, and irrigation and erosion control were completed in October. Project improvements include widening the southbound off-ramp, reconstructing the northbound off-ramp and a portion of University Avenue, upgrading traffic signals and street lighting, improving nearby intersections, and adding new landscaping and irrigation.

Funding for this $14.6M project was provided by a combination of Federal HPP funds, State SB1Local Partnership Program funds, Local Measures A & W funds, Stanford University, and Caltrans supplied materials.

Setting the PACE: Public Affairs Customer Engagement Site is Now Live!

District 4 is proud to announce the launch of our new Customer Service Request (CSR) platform. PACE, the Public Affairs Customer Engagement site, provides a regularly updated breakdown of services requested and rendered across the district.

• The CSR dashboard aims to provide an overview of the responsiveness to maintenance services requested across the nine Bay Area counties.
• The data represented as month-to-date falls within a rolling 30-day Service Level Agreement (SLA) and is updated weekly.
• We strive to close 60% (or more) of all monthly service requests received via the CSR website portal.
• For more information or to leave comments/suggestions, please contact D4CSLTEAM@dot.ca.gov.
• To report a highway issue/problem, please submit a CSR ticket through the Customer Service Request Form.

Stay Connected with Caltrans

Representatives from Caltrans show local transportation leaders the 101-92 Short-term Improvements project site.