As announced in mid-June and early July, Caltrans will temporarily close a short section of Union Road for up to eight weeks, between San Juan Hollister Road and State Route 156, in Hollister. The closure is now expected to begin at 7pm Aug. 15, says a press release from the California Department of Transportation.
The closure is needed to reconstruct the intersection of Union Road and SR 156, to align with the new SR 156 widening project, and to improve access to and from the highway. During the closure traffic will be required to detour via San Juan Hollister Road to access SR 156.
To accommodate anticipated increased traffic via the detour, additional temporary traffic control devices will be installed at Fourth Street and SR 156, and San Juan Hollister Road and Fourth Street/Business 156, says the press release.
To support safety and traffic efficiency at the intersection of San Juan Hollister Road and Fourth Street/Business 156, temporary, portable traffic signals will be placed in each direction.
To support detour traffic to and from the highway, a longer, dedicated right turn lane to Fourth Street/Business 156 from eastbound SR 156 will be added, as well as an additional left turn lane from Fourth Street/Business 156 to westbound SR 156, according to Caltrans.
To support the community during the Union Road closure, Caltrans and the Council of San Benito County Governments (SBCOG) created a series of detour and traffic control maps in English and Spanish. The detour maps are available on the SBCOG’s website at https://sanbenitocog.org/transportation-updates.
Temporary portable message signs advising commuters of the planned closure and detour are being placed in advance of the intersection, Caltrans added.
Following the reopening of Union Road, two “exciting milestones” will be met, as traffic on SR 156 will be shifted onto the new highway just south of the existing highway and a new roundabout will be in operation at Bixby Road, Caltrans said.
The temporary closure of Mitchell Road, just north of SR 156, will also take place after the Union Road reopening, to allow additional intersection improvements and repaving of the old highway into a frontage road.
Caltrans will provide more information in late summer on these milestones and work.
The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project will construct a four-lane expressway immediately south of the existing Hwy. 156 alignment. The 5.2-mile project will begin in San Juan Bautista at The Alameda and continue to just east of Hwy. 156 Business Route in Hollister.
The SR 156 Improvement Project will reduce peak hour traffic congestion and save millions in vehicle operating and accident costs, according to Caltrans.
The contractor for this project is Teichert Construction of Sacramento. The project is expected to be completed in fall 2025.
