Making way for the new thoroughfare Making way for the new thoroughfare (February 27, 2004)

Drivers need new routes during 85-101 construction

As work on the new Highway 85-101 connector reaches a fever pitch, detours are becoming more and more necessary.

A big loss for northbound 101 commuters will be the Middlefield Road exit. The ramp, which takes drivers to Old Middlefield Way, was closed on Monday and will remain closed for 18 months.

The venerable exit ramp will be demolished and rebuilt as part of a larger project in which the Highway 85-101 intersection is being rebuilt to accommodate more lanes.

The entire $124.2 million project is scheduled to be completed in January 2006, said Valley Transportation Authority spokesperson Brandi Hall. Of the total cost, $96.6 million comes from 1996 Measure B funds and the remainder from federal and state grants.

While some drivers will need to find detours, users of the northbound and southbound Moffett Boulevard exits witnessed changes several months ago.

In September, the Moffett-101 interchange was reconfigured. Some of the highway exit and entrance loops were eliminated, and new signal lights were implemented.

No other exits will be drastically changed or closed, said Hall. However, drivers will be faced with occasional closures of the entire highway near the Highway 85 intersection.

Late-night motorists will be impacted on Saturday, Feb. 28 when a portion of Highway 101 will shut down completely. To accommodate the "concrete pour" of a new column in the center of the highway, northbound 101 will be closed between Route 237 and Highway 85 from 12:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. Southbound 101 will be closed between Highway 85 and Moffett Boulevard from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.

Drivers can look for extra signs and Highway Patrol officers to help find detours, said Hall.

Full highway closures may be scheduled in the future as the project progresses, she said.

Traffic will not be affected during a period of pile driving activity, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday and lasts until March 5. The work takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, weather permitting, and may cause noticeable noise and vibration.

For more information on the interchange project, contact VTA Community Outreach at (408) 321-7575 or community.outreach@vta.org.

-- Candice Shih

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