Award: Highway improvements
Value: $114 million
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Client: Caltrans
Granite Construction is on the road again after securing a $114 million contract to improve safety and reduce congestion on a major California highway.
The Watsonville, California-based contractor won the Segment 4E North portion of the larger Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project from Caltrans, according to an April 1 news release.
Granite, as part of its scope, will replace existing lanes and add a new peak-period carpool lane in each direction between Hermosillo Road and Salinas Street in Santa Barbara.
The construction team will also rebuild the Cabrillo Boulevard interchange with two new bridges and right-hand freeway ramps. Those exits will replace left-hand ramps, which will improve highway safety, while a new teardrop roundabout will help improve traffic flow for northbound ramps, according to the release.
The award marks the seventh and final segment for the broader, 11-mile Highway 101 phase 4 project. Caltrans selected Granite as the construction manager/general contractor for the $410 million Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project in 2018, with construction on the first segment beginning in 2020.
“Over the last seven years, Granite has reached agreement on thirteen construction contracts—seven mainline and six ‘parallel’ projects,” Larry Camilleri, Granite regional vice president, said in the release. “We are proud to be part of this landmark effort with Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and Caltrans to complete the final mainline segment in the 11-mile corridor.”
The current project will complete a section of continuous peak-period carpool lanes, delivering long-awaited congestion relief and updated infrastructure for the region, according to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.
Construction on the final leg is slated to kick off April 6, according to SBCAG. Granite expects to complete the job in December 2028.
