Newly Paved California 150 Survives Rains

The recent rains had little effect on the newly opened, newly paved California 150 through the Casitas Pass between the Ojai Valley and Carpinteria, highway officials said.

A small rockslide early Thursday disrupted traffic for about 30 minutes until crews cleared the debris about 6:30 a.m., California Department of Transportation spokeswoman Pat Reid said.

The highway is also winnowed to one lane briefly about 12 miles east of the 101 Freeway interchange. Reid said a complex geological problem has caused a 1 1/2-foot drop in the closed lane. She said the lane would remain closed indefinitely while geologists try to find a solution.

The highway was closed for more than a year after a massive landslide destroyed part of the roadway. The restoration project was finished Feb. 16 when the last of the paving was completed, Reid said.