Edhat Staff
Closures of Highway 154 and Highway 101 (Photos by Mike Eliason)
Here are aerial views of the Hwy.154 work, looking like they might be able to expose the culvert soon if the runoff keeps slowing. It’s at the East end of the lake, as the wider shot shows (closure is at bottom-left).
Update by Caltrans
HIGHWAY 154 REMAINS CLOSED FOLLOWING WINTER STORM ACTIVITY/CLOSURE BOUNDARY REDUCED
Highway 154 remains closed from the Lake Cachuma State Recreation Area to Paradise Road following a series of winter storms which resulted in a blocked culvert near Lake Cachuma.
Caltrans has initiated an emergency project to clear the opening of this culvert approximately 40 feet below the surface which contains water and debris. Caltrans is removing the water with pumps and cameras to reach the opening of the blocked culvert.
Those wishing to visit Lake Cachuma may do so by traveling Hwy. 154 from the Santa Ynez area. Those traveling from Santa Barbara may only travel to Paradise Road. Businesses along Hwy. 154 remain open.
Motorists may use US Highway 101 as a detour. There is no estimate when this section of Hwy. 154 will re-open.
Update by Caltrans
STATE ROUTE 154 REMAINS CLOSED DUE TO BLOCKED CULVERT FOLLOWING WINTER STORM ACTIVITY
State Route 154 remains closed from the Junction with State Route 246 near Santa Ynez to Paradise Road following a series of winter storms which has resulted in a blocked culvert near Lake Cachuma.
Caltrans has initiated an emergency project to clear the opening of this culvert which is approximately 40 feet below the surface which contains water and debris. Caltrans is making progress in removing the water with the use of pumps and cameras to locate the opening of the blocked culvert.
There is no estimate when this section of Highway 154 will re-open. Motorists may use US Highway 101 as a detour. Caltrans engineers and maintenance staff are working to open the highway as soon as possible.
Businesses along Highway 154 including the area near Stagecoach Road remain open.
Update by edhat staff
Highway 154 remains closed indefinitely near Cachuma Lake following a series of winter storms due to a blocked culvert that resulted in a flow of water on the roadway.
Caltrans is working to clear the opening of this culvert which is 35 feet below the surface of the water and debris.
Highway 154 remains closed between Santa Barbara and SR-246 in Santa Ynez. The roadway is open to residents but through traffic must use Highway 101.
There is no estimate when this section of Highway 154 will re-open. Caltrans engineers and maintenance staff are working to open the highway as soon as possible.
#CAwx– CA 154 remains closed indefinitely near Cachuma Lake. A drainage culvert was filled with debris and water during Saturday’s storm damaging the Hwy. CA 154 is closed between Santa Barbara and CA 246 in Santa Ynez. For everything storm related, go to https://t.co/gujtJTUSEj pic.twitter.com/r7WZZZJj9j
— SBCFireInfo (@EliasonMike) February 4, 2019
Update by edhat staff
Highway 154 is still closed between SR-246 and SR-192 until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Residents have access but through traffic must use Highway 101.
Read a more comprehensive storm update here .
Update by edhat staff
The southbound lanes of Highway 101 have reopened as of 4:00 p.m. Saturday. However, the northbound lanes are currently closed. Caltrans is working diligently to reopen the Northbound lanes and it’s been reported it could reopen between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Saturday.
Highway 154 has now closed from SR-192 to SR-246 due to culvert repair and maintenance near Lake Cachuma.
Highway 135 remains closed at Harris Grade.
Current traffic information can be checked through the below links:
Local Roads – Link to Public Works
State Routes and Highways – Link to Caltrans
Read a more comprehensive storm update here.
California Highway Patrol and Caltrans have closed Highway 101 in both directions around 9:30 a.m. Saturday due to heavy rainstorms.
Highway 101 is closed southbound at Milpas Street and northbound at SR-150 in Carpinteria.
CHP Captain Cindy Pontes reports flooding and minor debris in the area and they’re taking precautionary measures in case the freeway does get overtaken by flood waters and debris.
There is no way to get around this area, N. Jameson is also closed.
“Please don’t get on the roads if you dont need to… avoid area at all costs,” said Pontes.
Below is a video of Highway 101 from John Palminteri of KEYT:
With pretty meager amounts of rain fall today, see the 24 hour totals below, I really am surprised how unprepared this area really is. There really was no significant per hour rainfall rates or debris flow, but so much of our infrastructure has unraveled. I shudder to think of what will happen when we really get doused.
24-HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS: 11 a.m. Saturday
Lake Cachuma2.89″
Carpinteria1.51″”
Cold Spring Debris Basin1.94″
Goleta2.60″
Lompoc1.97″
Montecito1.67″
San Marcos Pass3.81″
Santa Barbara2.44″
Typical!! SB County is afraid of LA news outlets sniffing around so they shit the freeway down. Classic SB!
Since the freeway is closed (north) at the 150 Carpinteria Avenue is packed with north bound cars bumper to bumper. I have no idea where they think they are headed or going to pick up the freeway again if it’s still closed.
Hilarious typo and bizarre reasoning. A+ would laugh again.
I’m in the beautiful southern end of the Great Central Valley at 166 &I-5 with 2 hours to go.
It rained .6 inch at our house in the foothills in a half hour this morning around breakfast time, and 1.6 inches in the four hours from 8 to noon–average of .4 inch an hour. Lots of surface flooding for about an hour after the downpour around 8:30-9. It’s not the totals that are so important, it’s the intensity. We learned a lot about that last January.
Some interesting comments here. Freeway closed so the L.A. Times can’t come up?? Not because the road is blocked with mud, rocks and debris but just to keep reporters out? We are so unprepared for this? Maybe commenters could come up with a solution of how the keep (cleared out) creeks from overflowing with mud and debris in a downpour when fire burned hills send the stuff cascading down.
Why would they be afraid of LA news? Except that they sometimes do a better job of reporting than local news.
The circumnavigation of SB county is complete. I’ll scratch that off my bucket list. The Cayuma valley is so green that my wife remarked that it looked like Ireland with yucca.
The Caltrans live cam shows traffic flowing both ways at Milpas now. 10:48 am
Yes, 2:21. I almost did a spit take.
Can you share your thinking with us? Why is SB afraid of LA news? I am really curious.
We are now coming home via Bakersfield. Hopefully that route will hold up.
According to Santa Barbara family life magazine there are currently no routes through Montecito either north or south
Our Carp friend said there was no way to get through and all the train ticks T’s are sold. If you need to get south or north head to I5.
As of 12:55 all N-bnd Amtrak trains are still held up at Ventura, some going into the 3 rd hour.
It should be a fabulous wildflower season. The Playground and Lizard’s mouth will be well watered this year allowing for all the seeds and plants to germinate and bloom.
At my grandpa’s farm in Kansas there’s a foundation without any structure on it that was taken out by a tornado. The stripped foundation was only ~100’ from the house. Steer clear of those things.
And, I was thinking they closed 101 because of the water, mud, and rocks. Who knew anyone would be afraid of LA news?
Yes, being within sight of an actual tornadoes isn’t on my bucket list. A cutoff one can happen when upper level wind and clouds are moving in a circular pattern, and high speed laminar wind is blowing across it. The effect is a giant eye in the sky, with no indication of a funnel.