Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

Caltrans
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Previous Highway 154 highway repairs
​Update by Caltrans
March 1, 2019

HIGHWAY 154 RE-OPEN ON FRIDAY, MARCH 1 AT 12 PM FOLLOWING DAMAGE BY WINTER STORM ACTIVITY

Caltrans has announced that Highway 154 between the entrance to Cachuma Lake and the entrance to Live Oak will RE-OPEN on Friday, March 1 at 12 pm NOON, weather permitting.  The re-opening of this section of highway follows a series of winter storms which blocked a culvert and damaged the roadway.

Caltrans pursued this emergency project with engineering and maintenance crews working 24/7 to re-open the highway.  Caltrans cleared the blocked culvert, re-built an embankment and repaired the damaged pavement as part of this project. 

Motorists traveling through this area may encounter one-way reversing traffic control allowing Caltrans to perform additional work at this location.

The contractor for this $2.2 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria, CA.

 
   

Photos of cleared culvert, highway repairs, embankment work, and an aerial photo.

Update by Caltrans
February 22, 2019
 
Caltrans has announced that Highway 154 between the entrance to Cachuma Lake and the entrance to Live Oak will RE-OPEN by Wednesday, March 6, weather permitting, following a series of winter storms which blocked a culvert and damaged the roadway.  Caltrans will provide an exact date and time of opening by the end of next week.

Caltrans is working on an emergency project with engineering and maintenance crews working 24/7 to re-open the highway.  Caltrans has cleared the blocked culvert and is repairing the embankment and performing earthwork on the damaged highway before it can be re-opened. 

When the highway re-opens, motorists may encounter one-way reversing traffic control so that Caltrans can perform additional work at this location.

Those wishing to visit Lake Cachuma may use Hwy. 154 from the Santa Ynez area.  Motorists from Santa Barbara can only travel to the Live Oak entrance.  Businesses along Hwy. 154 remain open with US Highway 101 being the primary detour.

The contractor for this $2.2 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria, CA.   

Source: Caltrans
February 15, 2019

Caltrans has announced that Highway 154 between the entrance to Cachuma Lake and the entrance to Live Oak will re-open in mid-March, weather permitting, following a series of winter storms which blocked a culvert and damaged the highway.

Caltrans is working on an emergency project with engineering and maintenance forces working 24/7 to re-open the highway.  Caltrans has cleared the blocked culvert and is now reconstructing the foundation, repairing the embankment and excavating a portion of the damaged highway before it can be re-opened.

When the highway re-opens, motorists may encounter one-way reversing traffic control so that Caltrans can perform additional work at this location.

Those wishing to visit Lake Cachuma may use Hwy. 154 from the Santa Ynez area.  Motorists from Santa Barbara may only travel to the Live Oak entrance.  Businesses along Hwy. 154 remain open.  US Highway 101 is the primary detour.

Highway 154 embankment work

The contractor for this $2.2 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria, CA.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

For traffic updates on other state highways in Santa Barbara County, motorists can call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at (805) 549-3318 or visit the District 5 website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/road_information.htm  A map of this area can be found at:  map of this area can be found at: https://goo.gl/maps/zUK9MusccBU2

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14 Comments

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Flicka
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Mar 02, 2019 08:59 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

It used to save 15 minutes when the speed limit was 55mph. At 65 it's about the same. And even if 15 min. were saved, it might save you life to go on the 101.

tagdes
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Mar 02, 2019 11:24 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

The Feb 23 rd comment said it saves 15 minutes to Buellton from SB. It does not, it's 3 minutes longer and Google maps does not tell you to take the pass to Buellton. It tells you to take it to the Casino and rightfully so as it's 21 minutes quicker in that instance. Even a tourist with just a map would take the pass as it's 21 miles shorter also.

RHS
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Mar 02, 2019 08:06 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

So where are the critics of government? Would they please say something nice about this job (and the continuing work these folks efficiently and diligently do for us over the years)? Probably not.

tagdes
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Mar 02, 2019 11:02 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

And you fell for it...hook, line and sinker. The interesting thing is that you don't even understand what happened at all. First of all Caltrans is State, not local and they designed and oversaw and performed much of the 24/7 work on the project which cost more in order to expedite the clearing and grubbing, replacement roadway fill, subgrade and new paving.

RHS
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Mar 02, 2019 09:35 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

SBOBSERVOR: Good to point out that contractors were used but important to note that none of this would have been doable absent government funding, oversight, priority, bureaucracy and decision making. We need government to do the common and shared things. I am glad we have these folks.

SantaBarbaraObserver
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Mar 02, 2019 08:12 AM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

Strange. So you're actively trolling for criticism of the local government? For the record: The work was complete by a private contractor, CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria, CA. They are not a government agency. The State/County wrote the $2.2m check for a project that took roughly 3 weeks. Which is about $100k a day, to move dirt and lay some asphalt... I'll wager he cleared at least 350k on this one. Pretty decent gig for the contractor.

a-1558680919
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Mar 01, 2019 03:07 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

It was really nice driving the pass with so few cars, much more pleasant and less nerve wracking. WIth GPS diverting people down that road who have no idea what it's like it's become downright dangerous.

a-1558680919
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Mar 01, 2019 02:53 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

Finally, the SYV communities of Solvang & Buellton will have a bit less traffic. What a hassle it's been lately with everybody bailing at the 101/154 & cutting through the Valley due to the GPS's & Waze app. They suddenly realize that the road is closed even though huge signs tell them on the 101.

PitMix
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Feb 25, 2019 01:25 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

I wonder if the animals in the vicinity of the closure have learned that it is safe to cross that road now? They will have to unlearn it quickly once it reopens. I try to stay off of it when those two bears were killed on it several years ago.

Lucky 777
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Feb 22, 2019 06:08 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

I was interested to see the large amount of South-bound traffic on 101 that did NOT divert onto 154 when I was up at Los Olivos on Wednesday. It looked like it used to before Google Maps and WAZE started recommending 154 as the best way to get to SB from the North.

Yeti
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Feb 22, 2019 04:54 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

Hwy 154 is such a dangerous road due to smart phone distractions and other things like maybe fire water at the casino.. too many head one collisions, rollovers and run offs... lets just close it permanently to through traffic. Make the dividing line at Paradise Rd. We'll save a lot of lives and the county some money on rescues as well.

a-1558680919
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Feb 23, 2019 02:50 PM
Highway 154 Reopens Friday, Ahead of Schedule

But but but... it takes 15 minutes off the drive from Buellton to SB. That's 15 minutes folks will never get back if forced to take the straight route (heehee...).

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