Tree removal to affect Hearn Avenue interchange at Highway 101 this week. Here’s what to know

Drivers on Hearn Avenue over Highway 101 in Santa Rosa should expect nighttime delays this week as crews work to clear trees in preparation for a long-awaited project intended to improve traffic flow along the corridor, Caltrans said.

“The trees are being removed to allow Caltrans to widen the overpass,” according to Caltrans spokesperson Jeff Weiss. ”Our goal is to complete the work by Feb. 1 because we want to finish before bird-nesting season begins.“

Weiss said the work, which will close the far-right eastbound traffic lane on the Hearn Avenue overcrossing, is being done from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. He added the work will not be loud enough to violate noise ordinances or disturb nearby residents.

The construction work on the overpass itself will begin in April 2024, Weiss said.

“You may see people looking through surveying instruments or putting up orange fences to restrict access to environmentally sensitive areas,” Weiss said. “But as far as backhoes and digging and pile-driving, that’s not going to start until April.”

The project calls for replacing the existing overpass at Hearn Avenue and Highway 101 with a wider bridge to accommodate more traffic in the area.

New bike lanes and improvements to the highway ramps also are planned.

As The Press Democrat reported in October, the total cost of the project is about $43.7 million, which is being paid for through a mix of local and state funds.

Traffic on Hearn Avenue has long been a concern for nearby residents and businesses, with traffic backing up on each end of the bridge and forming bottlenecks on Highway 101 at the offramp.