Starting Sunday, two stretches of Highway 1 will shut down entirely in one direction overnight for several nights for construction.
The project to build extra lanes on Highway 1 between Bay Avenue in Capitola and State Park Drive in Aptos has already led to several previous closures along the road. That work has included building the wood and metal framework for a new Capitola Avenue overcrossing after the old bridge was demolished last April.
The coming closures are for work to build the new overcrossing. It will be taller and wider than the previous one to accommodate the expanded width of the highway after the lane additions, and feature new bike lanes and better sidewalks. Granite Construction of Watsonville is the contractor for the $78 million project, which is slated to finish in the fall of 2026.
Starting this Sunday, northbound Highway 1 will close fully at State Park Drive. Travelers will be directed off at the State Park Dr. interchange and take Soquel Dr. north, then turn left on S. Main St., before rejoining northbound Hwy. 1 at the Bay Avenue/Porter Street on-ramp. The northbound closure will be in effect for three nights from Sunday through Tuesday, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night.
Starting in the middle of next week, southbound Highway 1 will close fully at the Bay/Porter interchange. Travelers will be directed off at the Bay/Porter interchange, turn left on Bay Ave. then take a right on S. Main St., and take Soquel Dr. south before rejoining southbound Highway 1 at the Park Avenue on-ramp. This section of the highway will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, May 7 and 8, and Sunday, May 11, from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night.
Through both closures, Highway 1 will remain open in one direction. If northbound construction is completed early, southbound construction will begin a day early.
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