Highway 154 gets reopening date after winter storms closed roadway
A stretch of Highway 154 damaged by a series of winter storms has a tentative re-opening date set for early next month.
Caltrans announced Friday in a news release that the stretch of roadway between the entrance to Cachuma Lake and the entrance to Live Oak will re-open by Wednesday, March 6, weather permitting.
It has been closed since Feb. 2 after a series of winter storms caused the closure when a clogged drainage culvert resulted in flooding and damage to a portion of the highway. Caltrans employees are working around the clock to clear the blocked culvert and repair the embankment on the damaged highway before it can be re-opened, the news release said.
The contractor for this $2.2 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria.
The agency says it will announce an exact date and time of the opening by the end of next week. When it is re-opened, motorists may encounter one-way reversing traffic control so that Caltrans can perform additional work at the location.
In the meantime, the news release states that motorists wishing to visit Lake Cachuma may use Highway 154 from the Santa Ynez area. Motorists from Santa Barbara can only travel to the Live Oak entrance. Businesses along 154 remain open with Highway 101 being the primary detour.
This story was originally published February 22, 2019 at 4:50 PM.
