Granite Construction is steadily paving a path through its home state of California. 

The Watsonville-based contractor said the California DOT awarded it a $48 million contract to add a new peak-period carpool lane to Highway 101 near Montecito as part of the larger Carpinteria to Santa Barbara improvement project.  

The win comes on the heels of Granite kicking off improvements on the iconic Highway 1, a winding ribbon of asphalt and concrete that traces its way along most of California’s Pacific Coast. 

The Montecito job, designated as 4D North, is the fourth mainline segment Granite has won on the larger project. It was selected as construction manager/general contractor for the overall 10.9 miles of improvement work in 2018, which was parsed into four individual segments. 

The improvements, initiated by Caltrans and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, will improve bridges, interchanges, on- and off-ramps and add sound walls throughout the corridor. Funding was provided by state and regional funds.

Granite said it completed the first mainline segment through Carpinteria, known as 4A,  in 2022. Segments 4C and 4B are underway and scheduled for completion in 2023 and 2024. 

According to the project’s website, in addition to a peak-period carpool lane in each direction, the Montecito section work will also include new on- and off-ramps as well as northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes to connect on-ramps and off-ramps for improved merging. 

Granite will also build new bridges over Romero, San Ysidro, and Oak Creeks. 

“This project is another step to help alleviate the rush-hour traffic coming into and leaving Santa Barbara and we are excited to deliver this important project for Caltrans and the Santa Barbara County communities surrounding the project,” said Larry Camilleri, Granite’s vice president of regional operations in the release.

Construction is scheduled from mid-June 2023 through 2026.