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Caltrans paves shoulder to ease traffic on Hwy. 33
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More from Other NewsThis month's storms damaged the highway, eroding support for part of the road on the Arnaz Grade. On Monday, Caltrans closed all but one lane near Creek Road as crews worked to repair the road.
The new southbound lane, paved on the shoulder of the highway, helped ease congestion on the route -- one of the only roads left open between the Ojai Valley and the rest of the county. Four of the five routes into and out of the valley have been closed because of storm damage.
Until Thursday, drivers were being flagged through the area, alternating northbound and southbound traffic. For some, the normal 30-minute ride to Ojai ended up taking as long as four hours.
Caltrans has set a 25 mph speed limit for the damaged, two-lane stretch of the highway, and it could take two to four months before the closed lanes will reopen, officials said.
Caltrans spokeswoman Judy Gish said she is not aware of any concerns that the new lane on the shoulder could be affected by future rain or heavy traffic.
"We would never allow traffic on any road that would be unsafe," she said.
California Highway Patrol spokesman Steve Reid said an officer has been assigned specifically to that stretch of road, which will be patrolled 24 hours a day.
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