Highway 1 Soquel Avenue/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project

GENERAL INFORMATION

New Project Information

The Final Environmental Document for the Highway 1 Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes project has been approved by the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Lead Agencies responsible for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), respectively.

The Initial Study with Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment with Finding of No Significant Impact is available:

• Online through Caltrans Website
• County Libraries: Central Branch, Branciforte Branch, and the Live Oak Branch Libraries
• Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission: 1523 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, 95066; phone (831) 460-3200
• Caltrans District 4: 50 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, 93401

The public can request a CD copy of the final environmental document by contacting the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission or a representative of Caltrans Environmental Division, as follows:

G. William “Trais” Norris, III
Senior Environmental Planner
California Department of Transportation
2015 E. Shields, Suite 100
Fresno, CA 93726-5428

Or, via e-mail: trais_norris@dot.ca.gov

Background

Beginning in 1986 the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), working with Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration, conducted a series of studies to identify an affordable and appropriate response to the growing congestion problem on Highway 1.  These studies included the following: 

• Regional Transportation Plan – 1986
• Feasibility Study for Highway Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (HOV) on Highway 1 -- 1988
• Draft Project Study Report for Widening Highway  1 -- 1992
• Major Transportation Investment Study (MTIS) – 1999
• Toll Lane Feasibility Study --  2002
• Project Study Report -- to analyze the effect of adding one high occupancy vehicle (HOV i.e. carpool, vanpool, bus, and emergency vehicles) lane to Highway 1 -- 2002
• Project Study Report -- examining operational improvements including ramp meters and auxiliary lanes* at specific locations along the Highway 1 corridor   - 2002

The 2002 Project Study Report examining operational improvements to Highway 1 concluded that northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes between Soquel Avenue and Morrissey Boulevard would be very beneficial in reducing congestion and improving safety on the busiest section of the highway in Santa Cruz County - carrying 115,000 vehicles per day in 2006.   

*An auxiliary lane connects an adjacent highway on-ramp with the next highway off-ramp thereby extending the weaving and merging distance between the ramps and improving traffic flow and safety on the highway. An auxiliary lane is not designed for use by through traffic, but to provide greater separation between vehicles entering and exiting the freeway from mainline traffic.

Funding Secured

In 2005, the preliminary design/environmental review phase of this project was allowed to begin, thanks to a $2.9 million federal grant secured by the RTC.  In March 2007, the RTC received a state grant of over $16 million, which, together with regional sources, provides all the necessary funds to construct the project. 

Project Description

The Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes project proposes to add 12–foot wide auxiliary lanes northbound and southbound between Soquel Avenue and Morrissey Boulevard, respectively -- a distance of less than one mile in each direction.  As part of this project, the La Fonda Avenue overcrossing must be replaced to accommodate the auxiliary lanes under the bridge.  The new La Fonda Avenue bridge will be wider to provide bike lanes and wider sidewalks for pedestrians.  

This project is designed to complement the work recently completed at the Highway 1/17 Interchange, by eliminating the existing lane drop north of the La Fonda Avenue and extending the southbound lane as an exit only lane to the Soquel Avenue Interchange.

Project Schedule

Construction could begin as early as Spring 2011 and the project is scheduled to to take two years to complete. 

The Highway 1 Soquel/Morrissey Auxiliary Lanes Project is independent of the Highway 1/17 Interchange Merge Lanes Project and the Highway 1 HOV Lane Project, both of which are described elsewhere on this website.