OJAI VALLEY : Speedup of Highway Project Is Urged
Two Ventura County lawmakers have called on state transportation officials to explain the lengthy delay in reopening California 150, the primary link between the Ojai Valley and Santa Barbara County.
They also want Caltrans to speed up the project, which has dragged on for months as workers were forced to excavate a major portion of the highway.
In a letter signed by state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-San Luis Obispo) and Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos), the two legislators request that road crews work around the clock to finish the job as soon as possible.
“Our constituents’ [patience] as well as our own patience has been sorely tested with this project,” the letter states.
But a Caltrans spokesman said the department cannot authorize around-the-clock road crews unless a state of emergency has been declared.
“There hasn’t been an emergency declared that I know of,” spokesman Vincent Moreno said.
California 150 has been closed between Carpinteria and Ojai since January, when fierce winter rains washed away a chunk of the highway. The closure has forced thousands of Ojai Valley residents to travel to Ventura before making their way north to Santa Barbara County.
The highway is expected to reopen sometime in February, if weather does not cause further delays.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
