US 101/Betteravia Interchange Improvements

Project Description:

The US 101/Betteravia Road interchange is one of the busiest interchanges in the City of Santa Maria. While working with City staff to initiate a PSR-PDS for the long term modifications to the interchange, the Wallace Group team presented an interim solution to the City to increase the storage along eastbound Betteravia Road for vehicles wanting to access northbound US 101 and to address the need for additional capacity on the US 101 southbound off-ramp. As a result of our team’s creative thinking, we were hired to design the near-term improvements to the interchange to address existing and future congestion. The project included widening the US 101 southbound off-ramp to provide a second dedicated right turn lane to reduce queuing on the ramp. The project also removed a portion of the median along Betteravia Road west of the interchange to pave additional eastbound left turn lanes to provide additional storage for the US 101 northbound on-ramp movement from eastbound Betteravia. The signal at the southbound off-ramp was reconstructed and pedestrian access ramps were provided. Wallace Group worked closely with the City and Caltrans on the project.

Project Highlights:

• Improved safety
• Provided congestion relief
• Innovative near-term cost effective solution
• Utility and Right of Way coordination