Infromation provided by Caltrans District 5. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
A project to remove eucalyptus trees along a one-mile segment of US 101 north of Prunedale near Rocks Road is set to begin Sunday Nov. 3.
During the initial phase of work, overnight tree removal will result in the closure of a single lane of southbound US 101 from the junction of US 101 and Hwy 156 East to San Juan Rd. The overnight closure of one lane of southbound US 101 will take place for approximately the next three weeks on Sundays from 9 pm to 6 am, and Monday through Thursday nights from 8 pm to 6 am. No overnight closures will be scheduled on Friday or Saturday nights.
In addition to the overnight lane closures, CHP will be present to conduct traffic breaks of up to ten minutes on an intermittent basis. During overnight hours travelers can expect a delay of up to 30 minutes. Message and directional signs will alert travelers in advance of the project area.
Once crews make progress in the southbound direction, they will be in a position to perform tree removal on the opposite side of the roadway and similar overnight single lane closures will go into effect on northbound US 101. Updates will be provided on the scheduling of these overnight lane closures on northbound US 101.
As this project advances there is a possibility that crews will need to perform overnight closures of both lanes of travel in either the north or southbound direction. Should a closure of two lanes in one direction be required, timely notification will be given, and alternate routes will be announced.
This tree removal project is designed to reduce the risk posed to the traveling public by falling trees that could partially or completely block the north or southbound travel lanes.
This section of US 101 has experienced collisions involving trees which have fallen onto the roadway. While Caltrans maintenance crews have assessed and maintained these trees, the workload has exceeded maintenance resources and required work to be performed by a contractor.
In addition to enhancing safety, the removal of defective trees will allow for trees in good condition to thrive by removing competition for limited space and water. This will result in a more resilient vegetated roadside environment and enhanced safety for travelers. These trees are not considered a stopover for overwintering Monarch butterflies.
An update on an estimated completion date will be provided as work progresses and crews are better able to determine production rates. The contractor for this $2.6 million project is Community Tree Service of Pájaro, California.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
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