A portion of State Route154 was shut down this week due to a tension crack and will remain closed until the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) fixes it.
The crack was discovered on June 21 while crews were repairing a slip-out in the highway.
“At this time, there is no estimate for a re-opening or partial re-opening,” Genelle Padilla, a Caltrans spokesperson wrote in an email to SFGATE. “Each project varies, depending on a variety of factors. The completion of the 24-hour drilling operation could be an indicator for a timeline.”
The highway was shut down in both directions from San Antonio Creek Road to Painted Cave Road. A soft closure was put in place at State Route 192 in Santa Barbara at the State Route 154 and State Route 246 roundabout in Santa Ynez, according to Caltrans.
“The cracks are indicative of a weakness below the highway or in the area of the slip out,” Padilla said. “The drilling of steel dowels into the rock horizontally and vertically help support the roadway and allow for weight (vehicles) to be placed on the roadway.”
Construction will be done around the clock until the work is done. Crews plan to install vertical dowels 40 feet under the roadway, according to Caltrans.
After the dowels are inserted, crews will begin inserting horizontal dowels in the roadway.
According to a Caltrans press release, after drilling is complete, Caltrans plans to monitor pavement conditions before re-opening the highway.
There is currently no date when the highway will reopen.
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Source: SF Gate, Caltrans, San Luis Obispo Tribune
