Overnight and Daytime Work Continues on State Route 183/Merritt Street in Castroville

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
District: 05 - Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Heidi Crawford or Ashton Harris
Phone: (805) 549-3461 or (805) 549-3138

OVERNIGHT AND DAYTIME WORK CONTINUES ON STATE ROUTE 183/MERRITT STREET IN CASTROVILLE

MONTEREY COUNTY — Construction continues on a major rehabilitation of State Route 183 (Merritt Street) in Castroville to enhance multimodal travel. This phase of work will result in daytime sidewalk, curb and gutter, driveways, ADA curb ramps and roadway work.

Travelers are encouraged to follow directions provided by construction and traffic signs within and around the construction areas and to be alert for highway worker and equipment in this work zone.

Reminder: Drivers must abide by speed limit laws everywhere.

One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open for travelers on SR 183. Saw cutting, demolition of existing sidewalks, curb and gutter, installing underground irrigation and utility boxes along the southbound lane will continue next week. The placement of concrete for new sidewalks, curb and gutters, and ADA ramps will continue.

Daytime construction activities next week will take place between 7 am to 4 pm in the locations from Del Monte Street to Palm Street, Haro Street to Pajaro Street, Poole Street to Preston Street and Sanchez Street to Highway 1.

Overnight road work with one-way reversing traffic control is scheduled on State Route 183 from Sunday night, April 19 through Thursday night, April 23 from Crane Street to Highway 1 from 8 pm to 5 am. This work consists of utility relocation to allow for upcoming work. (Note: this work is not Caltrans project work. It is permit work related to the Caltrans project.)

All businesses remain open and Caltrans appreciates the patience of the business community and the people of Castroville.

A zone for construction workers and two-way traffic will be maintained with minor delays and will include heavy equipment. During some stages of construction, there will be a temporary removal of parking, sidewalk and driveway access. Pedestrian access to local businesses and residences will be provided and maintained by the Contractor. Bicyclists and motorists are encouraged to share the road on SR 183. Travelers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes during peak periods. Plan your travel accordingly.

Residents in the vicinity of this work should expect pavement striping and equipment adjacent to live traffic. This is crucial for the safety of both workers and all travelers.

Message and directional signs will direct travelers in advance of the project area.

About the Project
Through the town of Castroville on Merritt Street, the project will rehabilitate the pavement, address essential bridge maintenance needs, and improve multimodal features, including transit stops, sidewalks, driveways, and ADA compliant curb ramps. The project will also install new Intelligent Transportation System features and improve aesthetics, bicycle network continuity, and pedestrian safety.

Updates for the SR183/Merritt Street Castroville Improvement Project can be found at: State Route 183 Castroville Improvement Project | Caltrans

The contractor for this $38 million project is Granite Construction, Inc. out of Watsonville, CA. The construction stage of this project is expected to be complete by end of 2026.

For traffic updates on other state highways in Monterey County, travelers may contact Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or can visit the District 5 website at: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5

Photo of recent project work near State Route 183 in Castroville.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans Central Coast District 5 Social Media Platforms: X at @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

For information about transportation projects transforming communities throughout the state, visit: Build.ca.gov.