Carpool lanes open on Hwy. 101
New carpool lanes, one northbound and one southbound, opened Sunday morning on Highway 101 between Windsor and Santa Rosa, in time for the Monday commute. The area remains a construction zone with a 55-mph speed limit and CHP patrols, Caltrans said.
MARK ARONOFF / PDPublished: Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 10:44 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 10:44 a.m.
The Monday morning commute may be a bit less frustrating for thousands of motorists with the opening of new carpool lanes on Highway 101 between Windsor and Santa Rosa.
“People are going to have quite a nice surprise in store for them,” Caltrans spokesman Bob Haus said Sunday morning, shortly after the lanes were opened after final striping and other details were finished in both northbound and southbound directions.
“It will be an early Christmas present for the commuters.”
On mid-Sunday morning, just a few hours after the targeted time, an additional lane running north to south between Steele Lane and the Central Windsor exit opened to traffic.
But because carpool lanes are open to all drivers on the weekends, many drivers didn't experience the complete impact, which may come this morning when the roads are busy with workday drivers.
“I can't wait until tomorrow, it will be nice,” said Jack Prandini of Windsor Sunday. He commutes daily to Marin for his job. “I still hate the commute, though,” he said.
The new lanes are 7.6 miles worth of new space each way for drivers headed to or from Windsor, Santa Rosa and points beyond. According Caltrans traffic volume counts, between 5,000 and 8,300 motorists travel parts of the route each hour.
The area is part of an $82 million widening of 101 from Steele Lane to the central Windsor exit with a third lane in each direction, reserved for carpooling during the weekday morning and evening commutes.
During the rest of the day, and on weekends, all three lanes are open to all traffic.
“Oh, yeah, I didn't even realize it opened. But I guess it did,” said Cynthia Robles, who had driven through the newly widened area Sunday to shop at Walmart in Windsor. “That's cool. Any little bit helps with the traffic around here.”
Initially, Caltrans planned to open the southbound lane on Friday, but on Wednesday, contractors who were supposed to complete the lane striping said they wouldn't be able to finish on time.
But crews worked overnight Saturday and early Sunday morning to make it happen by mid-Sunday morning.
Officials had been anxious to get the highway work far enough along to get the carpool lanes open before the holiday season and winter rains, which are forecast to begin this week.
Motorists are still urged to be careful, with multiple warning signs, alerts and areas of uneven pavement through the area.
“It's so messed up with all the construction,” said James Wilson of Santa Rosa, buying building supplies at the Windsor Home Depot.
Sunday's drive was uneventful, he said, but Monday should be less stressful. “It will be nice to not have to worry about the commute. Maybe it will save me some time on the road.”
The opening to six lanes of freeway is about a year ahead of schedule. Workers still will need about a year to complete final paving and ramp work.
The area will remain a construction zone with a 55-mph speed limit and CHP patrols.
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