Long-Term Closure of Southbound Highway 1 Off-Ramp at Bay Avenue Continues with Additional Detour Option

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
District: 05 - Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Ashton Harris
Phone: (805) 549-3237

LONG-TERM CLOSURE OF SOUTHBOUND HIGHWAY 1 OFF-RAMP
AT BAY AVENUE CONTINUES WITH ADDITIONAL DETOUR OPTION

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — A project to construct north and southbound auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder improvements on Highway 1 between the Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive interchanges continues.

This long-term ramp closure began overnight, August 2. Crews have closed the southbound Highway 1 off-ramp at Bay Ave and the ramp is scheduled to be closed for approximately four months as crews reconstruct the ramp as part of the bus-on-shoulder facility.

Travelers will follow a detour on southbound Highway 1 to continue southbound and exit at the southbound Park Avenue off-ramp. They will then turn left onto Park Avenue, continue on Soquel Drive, and follow the detour signs back to the Porter Street/Bay Avenue area. A secondary detour includes exiting at the southbound Park Avenue off-ramp, turn left onto Park Avenue and using the northbound US 101 Park Ave. on ramp to the northbound Bay Ave./Porter St. off-ramp.

Message and directional signs will alert travelers in advance of the areas under traffic control. Please allow for extra time for your travels through the area.

Project Background:

The contractor for this $78 million project is Granite Construction of Watsonville, CA and the project is expected to be completed by Fall of 2026. Updated project information for the improvements on Highway 1 between the Bay Ave./Porter St. and State Park Drive interchanges can be found on the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission's website at: https://sccrtc.org/projects/streets-highways/hwy1/bayporter-statepark/

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.