Why South Bay drivers should expect delays for a 13-mile stretch of Hwy 101 this week
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Prepare for delays this week if you take U.S. 101 in the South Bay.
Caltrans is closing lanes from Mountain View to San Jose for road maintenance.
The closures started at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
It's one of the busiest roads in the Bay Area and that's without any delays, even if they are foreseen.
"I know some motorists probably see some large weeds on the center divider, or they see some debris from a crash or a blown-out tire, our crew is going to go out there and they're going to clean all that up," Pedro Quintana, a spokesperson for Caltrans District 4 said.
The planned maintenance project is happening from Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View down to 13th Street in San Jose, spanning nearly 13 miles.
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Caltrans says crews will be starting in the Southbound direction in the mornings at 9 a.m., focusing on the center divider and far left-hand lanes on Tuesday and Wednesday, before moving on to the far right-hand lanes and shoulder on Thursday and Friday.
"What we're doing is we're focusing on going against traffic if that makes sense pretty much what we're trying to do is we're trying to get in the work, not trying to cause any traffic delays on the morning commute or also on the evening commute, that is why we're focused on the Southbound direction first," Quintana said.
In the afternoons, they'll move onto the Northbound lanes, with work wrapping up by 4 p.m., ahead of the evening commute, each day this week.
"We're getting in there, doing our job, and not just initiating this one traffic lane closure on Monday, another one next week, we want to get in there for this week and focus on this corridor," he said.
All to make this part of the South Bay a cleaner and safer place, faster.
"We're just asking motorists to again pack their patience, do expect some delays, if you're traveling for a doctor's appointment or if you're going to the grocery store, or picking up a prescription medication, give yourself some extra time," he said.
This maintenance work is expected to wrap up just before rush hour on Friday afternoon this week.
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