It was a bumpy weekend for tens of thousands of travelers in the Tri-Counties, as heavy rain in Santa Barbara County closed a key stretch of Highway 101. While the highway has reopened, repair work is expected to continue for weeks.
The Gaviota Coast received five inches of rainfall from Friday through Sunday, shutting down the 101 from Goleta to Highway 1, south of Buellton.
"We were able to reopen the southbound 101 late Saturday night, and then the northbound 101 opened to two lanes by Sunday afternoon," said Kevin Drabinski, Chief Public Information Officer with Caltrans District 5, which serves Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and three other central and northern California counties.
"As we responded to the impacts of the storm, it was the northbound lanes which received the most damage. There was the most mud and debris that came across the roadway," said Drabinski.
"Under some challenging conditions, our crews went out and were able to clear the roadway," Drabinski continued. "In some places along that corridor, you're going to see concrete barriers in place."
The barriers are intended to prevent additional rock and debris flows from hills next to the highway. While the 101 was fully reopened on Sunday, repair work may continue for weeks.
"Northbound travelers are going to experience shoulder closures throughout the corridor at various locations," said Drabinski. "Crews will be working to stabilize the hillsides, and in some places they've strung K-rail or concrete barriers. They serve two purposes. They'll help keep the debris from intruding onto the highway, and they protect the workers."
Drabinski says that if you use the 101 to travel between the Central and South Coasts, you should allow extra time due to the ongoing repair project. Crews are hoping to complete enough work to keep the key section of the highway open in the event of another major storm in the near future.
There was also a bit of luck during last weekend’s storm. When there’s heavy rain in the region, Highway 154 is often the first to close because of rock and mudslides from the rugged hillsides on San Marcos Pass.
But it didn’t happen this time. When the 101 was closed, motorists used the 154 as an alternative to get from the Santa Barbara area to the Santa Ynez Valley, Buellton, and beyond.
"Our crews refer to Highway 154 as 'The little road that could,' like 'The little engine that could'...it kept plugging along. Highway 154 did a great job," said Drabinski.
There’s no timeline for the repair work on Highway 101 from Goleta to Highway 1. However, crews could be on the job for weeks, so Caltrans officials are urging motorists to allow a little extra time and to be especially cautious as they use the highway corridor.
