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Crews Work 24/7 On Highway 101 Closure In Montecito; Reopening Still Pegged For Monday At Earliest

(Caltrans photo)
Crews are working around the clock on the Highway 101 closure in Montecito due to the storm; reopening estimated to be Monday at earliest

Around the clock work continues to try to get storm damaged Highway 101 in Montecito reopened, but it’s still expected to be early next week at best before it’s ready for use.

Caltrans District 5 Director Timothy Gubbins says cleanup efforts have been hampered by the highway’s clogged drainage system, clogs they are finally able to get to, and clear.

Even when the highway is cleared, crews then need to assess whether there is damage which needs to be repaired. Gubbins says as of now, they are looking at Monday at the earliest for 101’s reopening.

He says 100,000 vehicles a day normally use this section of the 101, so getting it fixed is a high priority. For now, Amtrak trains and Santa Barbara to Ventura boat ferry service are providing the easiest alternatives, unless you want to drive around the closure via I-5.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral. 
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