A second lane of San Marcos Pass is reopening — intermittently — to motorists on Friday, according to an announcement this Thursday from Caltrans, which also stated for the first time that it expects the road to be fully reopen by winter 2024.
Highway 154 was closed between San Antonio Creek Road and Painted Cave Road after major cracks developed across the entirety of the highway on June 21 while Caltrans was repairing a slip-out, or landslide, beneath the road. On July 4, Caltrans reopened the lane farthest from the slide, installing a temporary traffic signal to control one-way reversing traffic.
Following further repairs to the pavement cracking, Caltrans said it will be opening another lane to travelers by end of day Friday, July 19. Those taking the pass connecting Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley should plan on intermittent lane closures Monday-Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Friday between 9 a.m. and noon. During these lane closures, one-way reversing traffic control will be in place to allow Caltrans to continue ongoing slide repair work and pavement reconstruction.
Until the $10 million project is complete this winter, a reduced speed zone will be in effect, and travelers should be aware of electronic message boards, flaggers, and all highway workers within the work zone.
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/Threads at: @Caltrans_D5.
