Months-long construction begins at deadly SLO County crossroads. See detours
A months-long construction project to improve one of San Luis Obispo County’s deadliest intersections entered a new phase as work began on a new bridge.
The long-term 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 in a news release.
The roadwork will alter access for drivers and bicyclists entering and exiting the freeway onto Wellsona Road for several months, Caltrans said.
It’s part of a $12.2 million project that was first announced in 2017 and had been delayed for several years.
Here’s what to know:
Work begins on Highway 101 bridge at deadly intersection
Caltrans started construction on the southbound bridge at the intersection of Highway 101 and Wellsona Road on Thursday, March 27.
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 bridge work is part of the broader Wellsona Road Safety Improvement Project, according to Caltrans.
The construction of the southbound bridge is the first part of the plan to build a frontage road that crosses under the highway, the state road agency. The undercrossing will be built once the northbound and southbound bridges are finished, Caltrans told The Tribune in an email.
“Bridge work is expected to begin with excavation and shoring (Thursday), that work will not impact traffic,” Caltrans said.
How long will construction last?
The southbound bridge will be constructed over the next five months, according to Caltrans.
Work on the bridge has already started and will extend through late August, the state road agency said.
How will roadwork affect traffic? Are there detours?
Access to Wellsona Road from Highway 101 will be modified while construction is underway, Caltrans said.
Southbound Highway 101 travelers will still have direct access to west Wellsona Road, according to the release.
Northbound motorists can travel onto west Wellsona Road by using a left turn pocket while the new phase of construction is underway, Caltrans said.
Caltrans has a detour in place for southbound Highway 101 travelers heading onto east Wellsona Road.
Northbound drivers can still use the right turn lane to access east Wellsona Road, according to Caltrans.
A detour will be also available for bicyclists, the state road agency said.
The nearby San Paso Truck Stop will remain open and accessible to motorists, Caltrans said.
Why is Highway 101 intersection under construction?
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.
When will roadwork be complete?
Caltrans said the project is expected to be finished in early 2026.
CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria is the contractor for the Wellsona Road Safety Improvement Project, according to the state road agency.
