Highway 101 lanes to close for construction at deadly SLO County intersection. Here’s when
Part of Highway 101 will shut down overnight as crews continue roadwork on one of San Luis Obispo County’s deadliest intersections.
The construction project is “intended to reduce the number and severity of collisions” at the intersection of Highway 101 and Wellsona Road near Paso Robles, the California Department of Transportation said.
The roadwork is part of a $12.2 million project that was first announced in 2017 and delayed for several years.
Here’s what to know:
Where are Highway 101 lane closures?
Caltrans will close alternating lanes in both directions of Highway 101 near the Wellsona Road intersection in Paso Robles, the agency said in a news release.
While the roadwork is underway, one lane will stay open to drivers in both directions, Caltrans said.
A detour will be available for bicyclists, the state road agency said.
When will freeway lanes be blocked to traffic?
The Highway 101 lanes will be closed to traffic from 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, to 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, according to Caltrans.
The nearby San Paso Truck Stop will remain open and accessible to motorists, Caltrans said.
Why is Highway 101 under construction?
Caltrans is closing the Highway 101 lanes to adjust temporary barriers and pavement delineation in order to begin construction of the southbound bridge.
Building on the bridge will start on Thursday, March 27, and extend through late August, according to Caltrans. Access to Wellsona Road from Highway 101 will be modified while construction is underway.
The state road agency plans to construct a new 112-foot underpass beneath Highway 101, as well as a frontage road connecting the underpass with Wellsona Road on both sides of the highway.
The underpass will remove the need for drivers to make left turns or drive straight across traffic on Highway 101 near the San Paso Truck Stop between Paso Robles and San Miguel.
The intersection of Highway 101 and Wellsona Road is the second deadliest crossroad in San Luis Obispo County in terms of the number of traffic fatalities over the past decade, The Tribune reported in November.
Eight people died in vehicle crashes at the intersection between 2014 and 2024.
That puts the fatal collision rate at the crossing higher than the state average, Caltrans said.
CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria is the contractor for the Wellsona Road Safety Improvement Project, according to the state road agency.
When will roadwork be complete?
Caltrans said the project is expected to be finished in early 2026.
