Bay/Porter to State Park Dr Aux Lanes, BOS & Mar Vista Overcrossing

Highway 1 Bay Ave/Porter St to State Park Dr Auxiliary Lanes/Bus-on-Shoulder, and Mar Vista Bicycle/Pedestrian Overcrossing

Project Improvements

Northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes between Bay Avenue/Porter Street and Park Avenue interchanges and between Park Avenue and State Park Drive interchanges
Bus-on-Shoulder operations
Bicycle/pedestrian overcrossing at Mar Vista
Replace the existing Capitola Avenue bridge crossing Hwy 1 with a new bridge including improved sidewalks and bike lanes

Project Schedule

Estimated schedule and cost for the project include environmental review, project design, right-of-way, and construction phases, subject to change.

Phase	Schedule
Environmental (PA/ED)	Completed May 2021
Final Design (PS&E)	FY 20/21 – Fall 2022
Right-of-Way	Spring 2021-Summer 2022
Advertisement/Award	FY 22/23
Construction	Spring 2023-2025

Project Purpose and Need

The purpose of the project is to:

Improve traffic and safety operations on Highway 1
Reduce cut-through traffic diverting to local streets and neighborhoods by
adding auxiliary lanes between Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive
Improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to regional destinations and
transit by providing enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities for active
transportation users at Capitola Avenue
Add infrastructure for buses to travel in the auxiliary lanes between
interchanges and on the outside shoulder through interchanges
Improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity to regional destinations and
transit by providing a dedicated crossing for active transportation users at Mar Vista
Connect neighborhoods, schools, parks/beaches and commercial centers
Promote the use of alternative transportation modes to increase transportation system capacity and reliability
Widen the overcrossing at Capitola Avenue to current standards

This project is needed because:

Several bottlenecks along Hwy 1 in the southbound and northbound directions cause congestion during peak hours, significantly delaying drivers. As a result, “cut‐through” traffic—or traffic on local streets—is increasing because drivers are seeking to avoid congestion on the highway.
There are limited opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists to safely navigate SR 1 in the project corridor, even though portions of the project area are designated as regional bicycle routes.
There are insufficient incentives to increase transit service in the Hwy 1 corridor because congestion threatens reliability and cost‐effective transit service delivery.
The existing length (i.e., span) of the Capitola Avenue overcrossing cannot accommodate a wider freeway. In addition, the existing overcrossing does not meet current standards for vertical clearance over the freeway, has substandard widths, and does not have bicycle lanes across the bridge. The bridge must be reconstructed to meet current standards.

Environmental Analysis

A joint Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (known as an EIR/EA) was prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Caltrans is the lead agency under CEQA and assumed responsibilities of lead agency for the Federal Highway Administration under NEPA assignment.