Highway Projects

U.S. 101 Widening Project

Field Activity Report

Overview

This project widened a 7.5-mile (12 km) section of U.S. 101, between Metcalf Road in San Jose and Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill, to three mixed-use lanes and one high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction. The new lanes were added in the existing median area.

Project Objective

To provide traffic congestion relief and improve driving safety by eliminating the four-lane bottleneck, and expanding the highway to eight lanes.

Project Features

The 1996 Measure B Transportation Program approved by voters authorizes the widening of U.S. 101 to six mixed-flow lanes. Based on community input and increased traffic, VTA and the County of Santa Clara authorized the addition of two HOV lanes. Adding these lanes will provide a carpool facility nearly 40 miles long, stretching from Morgan Hill to Redwood City.

Operations

Caltrans operates and maintains the newly widened highway.

Capital Cost/Project Funding

$55.3 million: $50.9 million from 1996 Measure B funds and $4.4 million from non-1996 Measure B funds. The widening of U.S. 101 is made possible in part by the Governor's Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP).

The U.S. 101 Widening Project was completed $9 million under the baseline cost estimate.

Project Schedule:

Construction begins:  August 2001
Southbound completion: March 2003, open to traffic nine months ahead of the baseline schedule
Northbound completion: May 2003, open to traffic seven months ahead of the baseline schedule

The widening of U.S. 101 between Metcalf Road and Bernal Road is included in the Route 85/U.S. 101 (South) Interchange Project.

How to Reach Us:

For more information on the highway projects or existing bus and rail transit service, call VTA Community Outreach at (408) 321-7575, TDD only (408) 321-2330.