California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 156 (2024)

US 101 to Hollister (Northern Business Route Terminus)

Route 156 Widening - US 101 to Hollister (SBT 3.0 to R8.2)

In his 2006 Strategic Growth Plan, Governor Schwartzenegger proposed converting two major conventional roadway segments to four-lane expressway. Projects have major safety and mobility benefits for travel from the Bay Area to the Monterey Peninsula and from the Central Valley to US 101.

2007 CMIA. Two projects on Route 156 in Monterey County were submitted to the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account for funding. These projects were a 4 lane expressway, Alameda to Union-Mitchell ($37,987K requested) and the Route 156 Corridor west phase 1 ($166,700K requested) . Neither was recommended for funding.

In November 2007, the CTC reviewed a draft EIR for a project to construct roadway improvements that include widening, from two lanes to four lanes, a portion of Route 156 near Hollister. The project is not fully funded. The project is programmed in the 2006 State Transportation Improvement Program for project development and right-of-way for $22,203,000. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $78,300,000, capital and support. This project should be ready for construction in Fiscal Year 2009-10, depending on the availability of funds. The alternatives are basically (a) whether the roadway is divided or conventional, and (b) whether there are frontage roads, and on which sides of the highway. The project would be between The Alameda (PM 3.0) and San Juan Road (PM 8.2).

In December 2008, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding a project that would widen the existing two-lane conventional highway to a four-lane expressway from The Alameda (PM 3.0) in San Juan Bautista to 0.2 mile east of Fourth Street/Business Route 156 (PM R8.2). The project is fully funded in the 2008 State Transportation Improvement Program with Regional Improvement Program , Interregional Improvement Program, local, and federal funds. The estimated cost of the project is $69,611,000, capital and support, and is estimated to begin construction in Fiscal Year 2012-13. Issues with the construction, permanently removing farmlands and the public controversy associated with the project resulted in an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) being completed for this project. Upon completion of the EIR, impacts related to farmlands are anticipated to be significant and unmitigable. As a result, a Statement of Overriding Consideration was adopted.

In October 2011, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding a project to widen Route 156 from a two-lane conventional highway to a four-lane expressway on new alignment from the Alameda in San Juan Bautista to just east of Fourth Street. The project is programmed in the 2010 State Transportation Improvement Program and includes local funds. Total estimated project cost is $69,961,000 for capital and support. The scope as described for the preferred alternative is consistent with the project scope programmed by the Commission in the 2010 State Transportation Improvement Program. A copy of the FEIR has been provided to Commission staff. Resources that may be impacted by the project include; noise, biological resources, hydrology and floodplains, and farmlands. Potential impacts associated with the project can all be mitigated to below significance through proposed mitigation measures with the exception of farmlands. The proposed improvements, with all recommended mitigation measures, would still have significant adverse impacts to farmlands in San Benito County with 127 acres of prime farmland being converted to non-agricultural purposes. As a result, a Final Environmental Impact Report was prepared for the project.

In December 2011, it was reported that the Monterey County Transportation Agency is considering funding the new alignment via toll lanes. The plan would be to charge drivers up to $2 to use the new lanes, with the price varying by time of day and traffic conditions. The money would be used to help pay for a project that could cost more than $106 million, of which only $13 million is in hand -- the impact of Monterey County's failure to get two-thirds support for a sales tax increase a few years ago. If the plan moves ahead, construction could start in 2016. If not, it may be 15 to 20 years before a bypass is built. The current route would be turned into a frontage road, one that could be used by residents so they would not have to pay a toll.

In November 2016, it was reported that there are plans to turn Route 156 into a four-lane expressway in and near San Juan Bautista to Hollister. Construction on the $44.6 million job should start in 2019 and take two years.
(Source: Mercury News, 11/3/2016)

The 2018 STIP, approved at the CTC March 2018 meeting, appears to adjust construction funding from $9.639M to $14.7M in FY19-20. The project, PPNO 0297, is in San Juan Bautista, from The Alameda to 0.2 mile east of Fourth Street. Widen to 4 lanes.

The 2020 STIP, approved at the CTC March 2020 meeting, continues programmed funding of $14,700K for PPNO 0297 "4-lane expressway, San Juan Bautista (RIP)". It also included PPNO 0297, 4-lane expressway, San Juan Bautista (IIP), in the Interregional portion of the STIP with no change in programming: $81,554K in prior year funding.
(Source: March 2020 CTC Agenda, Item 4.7, 2020 STIP Adopted 3/25/2020)

In November 2020, it was reported that the San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project will be a five-mile, 4-lane expressway between The Alameda in San Juan Bautista to the Business Route 156 on Route 156 near Hollister. The cost of the project will be about $108 million, which is roughly $30 million less than a previous estimated price tag. The official construction contract is split up into two phases: utility relocation and road work. Caltrans won’t break ground until December 2021 but commuters will start seeing construction work at Union and Mitchell roads beginning in April or May 2021. It will be a two-year construction timeline with work finalizing in December 2023 until March 2024. All of the work is going to be on a new alignment and the existing highway will still be functional as a frontage road for farm equipment and local traffic. To start the project, on Oct. 27, 2020, Caltrans released the “Ready to List”, which is the first step to sending a packet out for the advertisem*nt period to look for construction contractors to review, pick up plans and submit a bid. The history: In 2012, a California Environmental Quality Act document was the subject of a lawsuit, causing a delay. Caltrans had to go through the court process to settle things. Then four years later, the California Transportation Commission at the time didn’t have the funding when Caltrans was ready for construction, which delayed the project for two more years. For the last several years the delay has really been related to property acquisition and utility agreements. This is because they have to come to an agreement to relocate a variety of different utilities such as San Benito Water District, PG&E, AT&T, Charter and Comcast. There are a variety of reasons they discuss including fires, mergers with companies, layoffs and utilities. Most of the accusations are complete and two of them in the imminent domain process. The utility companies have quite a bit of work to do because there’s gas transmission, gas distribution and electrical transmission that are pretty long runs because they’re adjacent to the highway.
(Source: San Benito.Com, 11/3/2020)

In December 2020, the CTC approved the following allocation for State Administered STIP Projects on the State Highway System: $60,010,000 (RIP/19-20 $15,104,000 Const + IIP/19-20 $11,000,000 Const Sup / $33,906,000 Const) for 05-SBt-156 PM 3.0/R8.2. PPNO 05-0297 ProjID 0500000505 EA 34490. San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project. Route 156 In San Juan Bautista, from The Alameda to 0.2 mile east of Fourth Street. Widen to 4 lanes.(CEQA - EIR, 08/15/2011; Re-validation 01/10/2020) (NEPA - FONSI, 08/15/2011; Re-validation 01/10/2020) (Right of Way Certification: 10/26/2020) (Future consideration of funding approved under Resolution E-11-76: October 2011)
(Source: December 2020 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5c.(1) #1)

In June 2021, the CTC approved the following SB1/LPP allocation: $2,500,000. 05-SBt-156 3.0/R8.2. PPNO 05-0297; ProjID 0500000505; EA 34490. San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project. Route 156 In San Juan Bautista, from The Alameda to 0.2 mile east of Fourth Street. Widen to 4 lanes. (Future consideration of funding approved under Resolution E-11-76; October 2011.) This allocation of $2,500,000 in LPP-Formulaic funds will be used to reduce the local funds to $7,139,000 for the STIP project approved in December 2020 under Resolution FP-20-35 . (Concurrent LPP-F Programming Amendment under Resolution LPP-P-2021-15; June 2021) (The Department requests non-proportional spending) Allocation: CONST $2,500,000.
(Source: June 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5s.(1) #1)

Also in June 2021, the CTC approved a request from the Council of San Benito County Governments to add the following to their 2019 LLP-Formulaic fund allocation. The State Route 156 Improvement Project and program $2,500,000 to construction in Fiscal Year 2020-21. This project will convert five miles of a two-lane conventional highway into a four-lane at-grade expressway from The Alameda in San Juan Bautista to Business Route 156 near Hollister. The anticipated benefits of this project include improving route continuity, reducing congestion, and increasing safety.
(Source: June 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 4.16)

In December 2021, there was an update on the status of this project: A $60 million plan to construct a four-lane expressway on Highway 156 from San Juan Bautista to Hollister is the largest of the current projects. Construction was originally estimated to begin in the summer of 2021, but preparatory work is still being done in the area. Drabinski said work by PG&E to relocate utilities in advance of the project should conclude by the end of this month. Details for prospective bidders will be announced in January with work to commence when the job is awarded.
(Source: BenitoLink, 12/8/2021)

In May 2022, the CTC approved a request for an additional $14,732,000 in Construction Capital for the STIP Roadway Widening project on Route 156, in San Benito County (05-SBt-156 3.0/R8.2. PPNO 05-0297; ProjID 0500000505; EA 34490), to award the construction contract. This project is located on Route 156 in the City of San Juan Bautista and Hollister, from The Alameda to east of Fourth Street, in San Benito County. The project will convert the two-lane conventional highway into a four-lane expressway. In April 2018, the project was programmed for $47,700,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP, $33,000,000 from the Interregional Improvement Program (IIP) and $14,700,000 from the Regional Improvement Program (RIP), for allocation in Fiscal Year 2019-20. In June 2020, the project received a 20-month allocation time extension for construction. In December 2020, the project was allocated for $49,010,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP, $33,906,000 from the IIP and $15,104,000 from the RIP. In June 2021, the project was allocated for $2,500,000 in Construction Capital in the Local Partnership Program. The total allocated amount is $51,510,000 in Construction Capital. In January 2022, the project received a nine-month award time extension for the STIP funds. Bids were opened in March 2022, and the amount required to award to the lowest bidder exceeded the amount available from project allocated funds. In January 2022, the Department advertised the contract and held bid opening in March 2022. The contract received six bids, of which, the lowest bid was 30.3 percent above the Engineer’s Estimate (EE). The five remaining bids ranged in costs form 30.6 percent to 44.7 percent over the EE. The EE was based on historical unit prices at the time it was completed in December 2021. The Department anticipated that the recent COVID-19 pandemic and volatile supply chain pricing may result in a higher bid, but the full extent of price difference between the EE’s unit prices and the low bidder’s unit prices was not anticipated.
(Source: May 2022 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5e.(6))

In August 2022, it was reported that the San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project, which adds five new miles of four-lane expressway along Route 156 between The Alameda in San Juan Bautista and Hollister, would begin construction on Aug. 22, 2022. Construction is not predicted to cause additional traffic for drivers who currently use the highway. The vast majority of the work takes place parallel to the current roadway and so it will not have substantial impacts on the traveling public on the existing Route 156.
(Source: Benito Link, 8/18/2022)

In June 2023, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding 05-SBt-156, PM 3.0/R8.2. San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project. Widen Route 156 from two lanes to four lanes, in San Benito County. (FEIR Addendum) (PPNO 0297) (STIP). The project is located on Route 156 from postmile 3.0 to postmile R8.2, in San Benito County. The Department proposes to widen Route 156 from two lanes to four lanes. The project is currently programmed in the 2020 STIP for a total of $122,339,000, which includes Right of Way (Support and Capital) and Construction (Support and Capital). Construction began in 2022-23. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope as programmed by the Commission in the 2020 STIP. A copy of the FEIR has been provided to Commission staff. The Commission approved the project for future consideration of funding on October 27, 2001, under Resolution E-11-76. Since the approval of the FEIR, several design modifications have been made. These modifications include, but are not limited to, the addition of a roundabout, the addition of a lane east of Fourth Street intersection to have two westbound through lanes of traffic at the intersection of Route 156 and Fourth Street/Business Route 156, eliminating the connection of San Juan Hollister Road to Union Road by terminating San Juan Hollister Road with a cul-de-sac, adding a median High-Tension Cable Barrier (HTBC), adding a concrete barrier, and eliminating retaining wall No. 30. Additionally, tree trimming was added to the scope of work to provide clearance for heavy equipment to construct the sound wall. The Department subsequently completed Addendums to the FEIR pursuant to CEQA. The Department has approved this project for construction. This approval and the Addendums will satisfy the environmental requirements for this stage of the planning process.
(Source: June 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.2c.(2) Item 5)

In June 2023, it was reported that because of the exceptionally wet 2022-23 rainy season, costs for the Route 156 Improvement Project have increased $13.8 million. Of that amount, the share paid by the Council of San Benito County Governments (COG), the regional transportation agency, will increase by $4.25 million. COG’s original share was going to be about $25 million. According to Caltrans, the rain storms experienced in the area between January and March left high levels of groundwater. To continue work it required the lime treatment. The winter storms also resulted in a new construction process that involved using more trucks and equipment to integrate the lime treatment into the project than was suggested by the project’s geotechnical design report. The Route 156 improvement project adds five new miles of four-lane expressway along Route 156 between The Alameda in San Juan Bautista and Hollister, and is expected to conclude in Summer 2025.
(Source: BenitoLink, 6/28/2023)

In June 2023, the CTC approved an additional $13,808,000 in Construction Capital for the STIP San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project on Route 156, in San Benito County, to complete the construction contract. This project (05-SBt-156 3/R8.2, PPNO 05-0297, ProjID 0500000505, EA 34490) is located on Route 156, in the City of San Juan Bautista and Hollister, from The Alameda to east of Fourth Street, in San Benito County. The project will convert the two-lane conventional highway into a four-lane expressway. In April 2018, the project was programmed for $47,700,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP ($33,000,000 from the Interregional Improvement Program (IIP) and $14,700,000 from the Regional Improvement Program (RIP)); for allocation in Fiscal Year 2019-20. In June 2020, the project received a 20-month allocation time extension for construction. In December 2020, the project was allocated for $49,010,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP ($33,906,000 from the IIP and $15,104,000 from the RIP). In June 2021, $2,500,000 in Construction Capital from the Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program (Formulaic) was programmed and allocated to the project. The original total allocated amount is $51,510,000 in Construction Capital. In January 2022, the project received a nine-month award time extension for the STIP funds. In May 2022, the project received supplemental funds in the amount of $14,732,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP ($10,192,000 from the IIP and $4,540,000 from the RIP); to award the construction contract. In June 2022, the project was awarded for $63,742,000 in Construction Capital in the STIP ($44,098,000 from the IIP and $19,644,000 from the RIP). In August 2022, construction began with 490 working days. The remaining funds are currently at $56,666,000 in Construction Capital. The project is 10 percent complete with 450 working days remaining. The planned Construction Contract Acceptance is scheduled for May 2025. The Department is requesting supplemental funds in the amount of $13,808,000 ($9,553,000 from the IIP and $4,255,000 from the RIP) to complete the construction contract. Total revised amount $77,549,200.
(Source: June 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5e.(3))

The project realized cost increases due to differing site conditions relating to unstable soil that was further destabilized as a result of severe winter storms and high groundwater level. It has resulted in a higher cost of planned work which will be addressed through contract change orders. The project will convert a 5-mile segment of a two-lane conventional highway into a four-lane expressway. As part of building the new lanes, the contract included construction detail plans and standard special provisions to remove and recompact the top three feet of the existing ground to ensure a solid foundation (subgrade) for the embankment construction. If recompacting the top three feet of soil did not work, the Geotechnical report included the recommendation to use crushed rock and geotechnical fabric to strengthen the soil. The contractor bid the project expecting to follow the plans and provisions by utilizing appropriate equipment to remove and recompact the soil. However, due to the severity of Winter storms and high groundwater level, the contractor encountered unstable soil within a 1.5-mile segment of the project, which hindered the removal and recompaction of the soil. Upon review of the other options to stabilize the soil, geotechnical design recommended to process the top 18 inches of soil with lime treatment to stabilize the existing ground. If there are areas of failure after the lime treatment, the contractor would process the top three feet of soil with lime treatment. The cost to lime treat the existing ground will amount to $3,421,000. This has also resulted in a change in the character of work as the contractor will have to use other equipment and conventional trucking to haul the soil to a specific area of the project limits for lime treatment. The cost for the change in construction method will amount to $10,387,000.
(Source: June 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5e.(3))

In 1997, a bypass was opened from a point west of town near Union Road to the intersection of Route 156 and San Felipe Road angling bypassing the city of Hollister (~ SBT R7.811 to SBT R13.245). This is a two-lane bypass built to expressway standards. The old routing through town is still signed as Route 156 and Route 25 for some of it. There are plans to widen this to four lanes; the EIR was completed in September 2002, per CTC September 2002 Agenda.

In August 2010, the CTC approved relinquishment of right of way in the city of Hollister on Route 156U (San Juan Road, Business Route 156), being the city’s portion of the San Benito River Bridge (SBT R008.45), consisting of superseded highway right of way.

In February 2010, the CTC approved relinquishment of right of way in the county of San Benito along Route 156U at the San Benito River Bridge (SBT R008.45) , consisting of superseded highway right of way, and along Route 156 at Buena Vista Road, consisting of collateral facilities.

Constructed to freeway standards from US 101 near San Juan Bautista to San Juan Road.

Route 25 / Route 156 Roundabout (~ SBT R11.256)

In August 2018, it was reported that Caltrans plans to build a roundabout at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156, scheduled for completion in August 2021. It will eventually get replaced by an interchange when the Route 25 expansion project moves forward at an undetermined time. The roundabout project with a $7.7 million construction cost, to go with $3 million in “support costs”, will be funded by the state as a safety improvement project through the State Highway Operations and Protection Program, or SHOPP. The project remains in initial planning stages. There is “concept layout” and it is heading into the design and then construction phases, said roundabout Project Manager Brandy Rider. Plans presented to the local COG board in recent months show Caltrans will be ready to list the roundabout project for bidding in late August 2020, and it is set for a target end construction date at the end of October 2021. The roundabout is separate, however, from the Route 25 expansion. The timing and financing of that will depend on whether San Benito County taxpayers approve a 30-year, 1 percent sales tax on the November ballot. Under long-term Route 25 expansion plans, the roundabout would be replaced by an interchange. That replacement would happen many years down the road, and Rider said it could be 15 years or so until such a change might occur. While Caltrans is paying for the roundabout, the state has made it clear local taxpayers would have to cover the majority of the expansion funding, which would come from the ballot measure if approved. The nearly $300 million expansion would result in a four-lane, 11.2-mile commuter highway from Hollister to Santa Clara County.
(Source: San Benito Live, 8/15/2018)

In August 2018, the CTC amended the SHOPP to add the following project: 05-SBt-25 54.0 PPNO 2746, Project 0517000185, EA 1J480. Route 25 Near Hollister, at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156. Improve safety by constructing a roundabout. Est. cost: $10,628,000. Est. construction start: 10/28/2021.
(Source: August 2018 CTC Agenda Item 2.1a.(1))

In June 2019, it was reported that Caltrans District 5 will hold a public information meeting/open house about a proposed safety roundabout project for the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156.
(Source: BenitoLink, 6/20/2019)

In December 2019, it was reported that the roundabout planned for the Route 25/Route 156 intersection at Hollister’s north end is moving forward and is on schedule. According to Caltrans, the project is fully funded, its environmental review is completed and final designs and right-of-way acquisitions are scheduled for August 2020. The $10.7 million project aims to make the busy intersection safer. Roundabouts are increasingly common in new residential developments, as a substitute for four-way stops. The state has begun using them at busy traffic-signaled intersections that have had high accident rates. New, successful roundabout projects in Tracy and Palmdale match Hollister’s traffic patterns, according to the state. The plan is a short-term fix, however, as the state’s long-term vision is to realign and widen Route 25 to four lanes and build an interchange at its connection to Route 156. No date or funding has been set for that new highway replacement for the jammed two-lane commuter route that Route 25 has become. The proposal to place an interchange at this location will not be finalized, under best case scenarios, until 2028, according to Caltrans. Construction on the roundabout could start as early as the summer of 2021 with a winter 2021 completion date. The roundabout is a 2-lane design, and state planners said it will be able to handle big rigs.
(Source: San Benito.Com, 12/20/2019)

The 2020 SHOPP, approved in May 2020, included the following Collision Reduction item of interest (carried over from the 2018 SHOPP): 05-San Benito-25 PM 54.0 PPNO 2746 Proj ID 0517000185 EA 1J480. Route 25 Near Hollister, at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156. Improve safety by constructing a roundabout. Programmed in FY20-21, with construction scheduled to start in June 2021. Total project cost is $10,628K, with $7,663K being capital (const and right of way) and $2,965K being support (engineering, environmental, etc.).
(Source: 2020 Approved SHOPP a/o May 2020)

In August 2021, the CTC approved the following SHOPP amendment: 05-SBt-25 54.0 PPNO 05-2746; ProjID 0517000185; EA 1J480. Route 25 Near Hollister, at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156. Improve safety by constructing a roundabout. (Concurrent CONST and CON ENG allocation under Resolution FP-21-12; August 2021.) Note: Split off environmental mitigation project EA 1J481/PPNO 05-2746Y for landscape and monitoring work from parent project EA 1J480/PPNO 05-2746. Updated financials: ($ × 1,000): Const Cap $7,659 ⇒ $6,559; Total $10,628 ⇒ $9,528.
(Source: August 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.1a.(1d) #5)

Also in August 2021, the CTC approved an allocation request for $12,022,000 for the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) Safety Improvements project, on Route 25 in San Benito County, to advertise the project. This request exceeds the programmed amount by over 20%. This project is located on Route 25 near Hollister, at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156, in San Benito County. The signalized intersection of Route 25 and Route 156 in San Benito County is experiencing a pattern of broadside and rear end collisions, due to a recurrence of red light runs. The purpose of this project is to improve the intersection of Route 25/Route 156 by reducing the number and severity of collisions. The project proposes to construct a roundabout at this intersection with key features that include replacing the intersection with a multi-lane roundabout which will minimize excessive queuing and delay. The roundabout will operate under capacity, have adequate queue storage, and be adequately sized to handle a truck tractor-semitrailer. This project was originally programmed in 2018 for $7,659,000 in construction capital and $1,455,000 in construction support with construction in Fiscal Year 2020-21. The project also includes landscape mitigation and plant establishment elements. A SHOPP Technical Amendment is being requested concurrently, with this allocation request, at the August 2021 Commission meeting to move the landscape mitigation and plant establishment work to a child project (EA 05-1J481/PPNO 2746Y) for delivery in 2023-24, due to the three-year establishment period. The child landscape project’s construction capital and support will be funded with $1,100,000 from the parent project’s construction capital. The updated Engineer’s Estimate (EE) includes State furnished materials, mobilization, and contingency for construction capital of $9,857,000; which is 50.3 percent over the $6,559,000 remaining programmed amount after moving the landscape mitigation and plant establishment elements. The updated construction support estimate is $2,165,000; which is 48.8 percent over the programmed amount. The project has an approved time extension for allocation through August 2021. Pending the approval of this request, the Department plans to advertise the project contract in September 2021 and begin construction in February 2022. Construction is planned for two seasons with 210 working days and completion by January 2023.
(Source: August 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5d.(3))

The Department received extensive public input on this project regarding truck movements and sought a peer review from an external roundabout consultant. The peer review was conducted in September 2020 and the findings centered on the design of the multi-lane roundabout and how to best serve the high truck volumes. Based on the public comments received, the design configuration was revised to reflect an innovative turbo roundabout layout with raised lane dividers, to better mitigate the potential for low-speed merging conflicts due to the acute intersection angle of Route 25 and Route 156. Due to the restrictions associated with the new turbo configuration and raised lane dividers, overhead sign structures are needed on each of the four entries to aid drivers in selecting the appropriate lane pertaining to their desired destination. This is a departure from the standard wood-post signage originally called out for in the project. Also, the diameter of the circulatory roadway needs to be enlarged by 30 percent and the structural section increased to adequately accommodate the volume of large vehicles which regularly traverse the intersection. According to a Caltrans spokesperson, the roundabout planned at that intersection will be the first of its kind in California. The design known as a turbo roundabout is 240 feet in diameter, includes raised dividers to keep motorists from changing lanes, and uses overhead and road markings for navigation. Construction is expected to begin in January, pending weather conditions. The overhead lane markings will note which lane leads to either Route 25 or Route 156, will be placed about 350 feet from the roundabout. The intersection became a high priority for Caltrans because it has almost double the average rate of collisions. According to Caltrans, there were 126 collisions between 2009 and 2018 with two fatalities. Caltrans will be working on an easy-to-understand design they intend to present at public hearings in the future. This is because the engineer’s design may be difficult for the public to understand as it contains a lot more information than just the drawings of the lanes. The roundabout design is similar to one being constructed in Jacksonville, Florida. The turbo roundabout was recently invented in the Netherlands. Its key feature is that it prevents drivers from changing lanes, thus reducing rates of roundabout collisions. Caltrans did not have to deal with property acquisition for this project as it stayed within the existing right-of-way. Additionally, the overpass that is planned at that intersection as part of the Route 25 widening project will not be constructed over the roundabout. Instead, Caltrans is working on designs that may incorporate aspects of the roundabout to the overpass, which would save money along the way.
(Source: August 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5d.(3); BenitoLink, 8/30/2021)

The latest Engineering Estimate for the cost reflects the current unit prices for projects going out to bid in the region and shows the increase of $3,298,000. The increase is primarily driven by the increase in hot mix asphalt (11,000 tons to 19,500 tons), four overhead sign structures, additional temporary traffic controls, and additional roadway excavation. In addition, the original roundabout design included a center island with planting and a one- year plant establishment to be included with the road project. During final reviews, Department maintenance staff requested that all planting be eliminated from the center island, due to safety concerns and the long-term maintenance of vegetation within the center island. The design changes due to the removal of the center island planting resulted in the need to re-evaluate the Visual Impact Analysis. The re-evaluation recommended landscaping be placed outside the roundabout to mitigate for additional signs structures and the lighting features as required by the new design. This resulted in the need for a split off landscape project to accommodate the new planting plan and a three-year plant establishment period at a cost of $1,100,000. A construction support cost increase of 48.8 percent is also needed due to an increase of working days, from 130 to 210, and the complicated turbo roundabout design staging needed during construction. Additionally, on-going coordination with the local community identified the need for greater outreach to the community and a public awareness campaign during construction.
(Source: August 2021 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5d.(3))

In December 2021, there was an update on the status of this project: The roundabout is planned for the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156, north of Hollister. Bidding was opened on Oct. 27 with the contract for the $10.7 million project awarded to GraniteRock Construction, according to Caltrans Public Information Officer Kevin Drabinski. Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2022.
(Source: BenitoLink, 12/8/2021)

In May 2022, construction began on Route 25/Route 156 roundabout. The initial phase of construction will result in lane closures on the approach to the north Hollister intersection, from westbound Route 156 and southbound Route 25. The project is expected to be completed in April 2023. The roundabout is planned as an interim solution. An interchange at Route 25/Route 156 is the long-range improvement planned as part of the larger Route 25 Expressway Conversion Project. The Measure G-funded project to widen Route 25 (to be completed over the coming years) will also include a permanent interchange at this intersection. The roundabout is a critical safety project designed to hasten the reduction of the number and severity of collisions at this intersection. The Caltrans State Highway Operation and Protection Program, which funds safety projects, identified the need to address immediate safety at this location. In the interim, Caltrans is addressing this safety need until the long-range plan for an interchange can be implemented. Although the proposed roundabout is located at the junction of two high-speed rural routes, the roundabout design will emphasize speed control. Design features will control the speed at which vehicles enter, navigate, and exit the roundabout. Lower vehicle speeds provide more time for entering drivers to judge, adjust speed for, and enter a gap in circulating traffic, allowing for safer merges while reducing the frequency and severity of collisions. The roundabout is a two-lane design and anticipates truck volumes for the intersection today and into the future. In accommodating the sweep of truck trailer wheels, a mountable truck apron is featured around the inside of the roundabout.
(Source: San Benito County on FB, 5/31/2022)

In August 2023, it was reported that the next stage of construction of the roundabout project project at Route 25 and Route 156, crews will implement a new, temporary traffic configuration that will operate similar to a one-lane roundabout. The configuration will remain in place through the end of the project’s construction in early 2024. During construction, as vehicles approach, they will be required to slow down and yield to traffic already in the roundabout before entering. There will be no signalized traffic lights in place, and travelers will see new yield signage and other alerts to advise of the upcoming intersection change. One week before the one-lane roundabout is implemented, Caltrans will place electronic message signs to alert motorists of the upcoming configuration change. Speed limits within the project area remain reduced to 35 mph. This temporary traffic configuration is necessary to allow crews to complete final work inside the middle of the intersection for the future “Turbo Roundabout.” When complete, the roundabout project will be designed to reduce the number and severity of collisions at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156. The project will cost about $14.6 million.
(Source: SanBenito.Com, 8/8/2023)

In January 2024, it was reported that the "Turbo Roundabout" at the intersection of Route 25 and Route 156 has opened. In a typical multi-lane roundabout, drivers freely shift between inner and outer lanes, delineated by painted lines. In a turbo roundabout, raised dividers separate the lanes. This means that when drivers merge onto the roundabout, they choose a lane — inner, center or outer — and stick with it until they peel off. The facility became fully operational when the third lane opened for traffic in December; however, temporarily, only one roundabout lane is open while Caltrans installs striping and signage on the roundabout. That was completed by February 2024. As this form of roundabout may be unfamiliar, Caltrans released a how-to video on Youtube—in both English and Spanish—advising travelers how to approach and navigate the new intersection, which is the first of its kind in California. The roundabout cost a total of $14.9 million, $11.1 million for construction and $3.8 million for support costs.
(Source: SFGate, 1/2/2024; KSBW, 2/16/2024; Gilroy Dispatch, 2/19/2024)

Hollister (Northern Business Route Terminus) to Route 152

Route 152 / Route 156 Interchange

The SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

• High Priority Project #1759: Improvements to the Route 152/Route 156 Intersection. $800,000. (~ SCL 0.475)
• High Priority Project #1793: Reconfigure intersection at Route 152 and Route 156 in Santa Clara County. $11,120,000. (~ SCL 0.475)

According to vta.org, there are currently plans to build a flyover ramp intersection with Route 152. Estimated completion date is 2008. It opened for public traffic in late January 2009.