2021-08-01-express-update

Caltrans is constructing express lanes on U.S. 101 from the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County Line to I-380 in South San Francisco. Express lanes are expected to open from the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County Line to Redwood City in late-2021 and from Redwood City to I-380 in late-2022.

 

Construction Update – Week of August 1^st

This week, construction activities on U.S. 101 from San Antonio Road (in Palo Alto) to Whipple Avenue (in Redwood City) will involve work in the median and shoulders and will include installing tolling equipment and guardrail, and landscaping and erosion control work. Construction activities on U.S. 101 from Whipple Avenue to I-380 (in South San Francisco) will involve work in the median, shoulders, freeway lanes, and on city streets, and will include constructing and painting a new median barrier, repaving the freeway surface, installing permanent roadway signs, PG&E and AT&T service work, and landscaping and erosion control work. Construction activities may occur during the day or night, and construction-related noise (e.g. backup alarms, hammering, etc.) should be anticipated.

 

Current Project Work by Roadway Section

 

 

Median: Construction crews are working in the freeway median (inside) to install new express lane signage, lighting, and tolling equipment; and construct a taller barrier.

 

In the coming weeks (Week of August 1^st – Week of August 15^th), work in the median may include:

• installing overhead lighting, sign foundations, overhead signs, new permanent concrete barriers, and electrical systems;
• painting new concrete barriers;
• installing and testing fiber optic connections for tolling equipment; and
• reconfiguring stormwater drainage systems to create space for the new express lanes.

 

 

Shoulders: Construction crews are working in the freeway shoulders (outside edge) to install electrical infrastructure for the new express lanes, remove vegetation, restore existing auxiliary lanes, connect auxiliary lanes to create a new lane, and replace freeway signage.

 

In the coming weeks (Week of August 1^st – Week of August 15^th), work in the shoulder may include installing:

• permanent roadway signs on northbound U.S. 101 from Holly Street in San Carlos to approximately I-380 in South San Francisco;
• guardrail on southbound U.S. 101 adjacent to the Willow Road interchange in Menlo Park, and just north of I-380 in South San Francisco; and
• erosion controls on northbound and southbound U.S. 101.

 

 

Freeway Lanes: Construction crews are working in the freeway lanes to repave and restripe the roadway, replace overhead signs, and install electronic detectors to monitor traffic flow.

 

In the coming weeks (Week of August 1^st – Week of August 15^th), crews will close freeway lanes as needed to continue to repave the roadway surface on northbound U.S. 101 from Broadway in Burlingame to approximately I-380 in South San Francisco. We anticipate this work will be completed by the end of August. Repaving on southbound U.S. 101 in this section is complete. Additionally, crews will be temporarily restriping the lanes on southbound U.S. 101 from Millbrae Avenue in Millbrae to just north of Peninsula Avenue in San Mateo. We anticipate this work will be completed by the end of August.

 

Lane closures are implemented to facilitate work on the freeway lanes and for the safety of crews and nearby travelers during construction activities. Closures may occur on northbound and southbound U.S. 101 from 9:00 PM to 5:30 AM, Sunday night to Saturday morning.

 

 

Ramps: Construction crews are working on freeway ramps to accommodate new express lane infrastructure. Ramp closures are typically implemented to facilitate work on or adjacent to freeway ramps.

 

Temporary ramp closures in both the northbound and southbound directions of the freeway may occur during the night, from Monday night to Saturday morning. However, consecutive interchanges for northbound and southbound ramps will not be closed at the same time. See Freeway Ramp Closures below for a list of planned ramp closures.

 

 

City Streets: Project crews continue to work on city streets to connect the new express lanes infrastructure to the existing PG&E and AT&T grids.

 

This week, work to connect power to overhead signs and freeway lighting may occur on streets in the cities of San Carlos and San Mateo. Nearby residents and travelers can expect to see crews from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. This work may produce intermittent low vibrations and construction vehicle noise, and may require temporary lane closures (one-way traffic). Cones and flaggers will safely direct traffic around closures. This work will also include PG&E installing new service locations and meters on city streets adjacent to the freeway. PG&E and AT&T service interruptions are not anticipated as part of the Project.

 

Freeway Ramp Closures: Short-term nighttime ramp closures may occur at the following locations (listed from south to north) during the week of August 1^st in/near the cities of Redwood City, San Carlos, Belmont, Foster City, San Mateo, and Burlingame. Changeable message signs near the ramps will display exact closure times and locations. 

• Eastbound Whipple Avenue, Southbound U.S. 101 On-Ramp
• Westbound Whipple Avenue, Southbound U.S. 101 On-Ramp
• Eastbound/Westbound Holly Street, Southbound U.S. 101 On/Off-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 8:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Southbound U.S. 101, Eastbound/Westbound Ralston On/Off-Ramp
• Southbound U.S. 101, Eastbound/Westbound East Hillsdale Boulevard Off-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 8:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Eastbound/Westbound Fashion Island Boulevard, Southbound U.S. 101 On-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 8:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Northbound U.S. 101, Kehoe Avenue Off-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 9:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Poplar Avenue, Southbound U.S. 101 On/Off-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Eastbound/Westbound Broadway & Bayshore, Southbound U.S. 101 On-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 9:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)
• Southbound U.S. 101, Eastbound/Westbound Broadway Off-Ramp (Closures possible lasting until 8:00 AM on Saturday, August 7^th at this location)

 

Nighttime ramp closures:

• Will be displayed on changeable message signs within the construction zone
• Will begin after 8:00 PM and reopen by 6:00 AM, unless otherwise noted above
• Will have detour signs posted

 

All construction activities are subject to change without notice.

 

For questions during construction, contact the Caltrans Public Information Officer:    

Alejandro Lopez at (510) 385-6856 or 101express@dot.ca.gov

 

Visit our website at 101express.com for more information about the project. Follow us on Twitter @CaltransD4.

 

If you would like a copy of a prior construction update, please email 101express@dot.ca.gov.