Caltrans Halts SR-1 Work, Easing Gridlock for Memorial Day Weekend

Caltrans will stop nighttime work on SR-1 on Friday, May 22, and no construction will run during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The pause brings a break in the gridlock reported on the corridor between Moss Beach and Half Moon Bay, where construction has been contributing to traffic back-ups.

Drivers on that stretch should see a quieter weekend than the project schedule otherwise would have allowed. Caltrans said the SR-1 Multi-Asset Roadway Rehabilitation Project will continue after the holiday, with work resuming through North Main Street on Tuesday, May 26.

SR-1 signal timing

Caltrans said traffic signal lights at the intersections of SR-1 and Capistrano, Coronado, and Russeau Francais have been set to scheduled timing because the traffic detector loops under the pavement are inoperable during this phase of the project. The timing is being actively monitored and adjusted to reduce back-ups as much as possible.

All other intersections on the corridor have fully operational detector loops. That leaves the three intersections on scheduled timing as the main point where motorists may see a different response from the signals while crews stay off the road for the holiday weekend.

Memorial Day weekend pause

The project is a $46.7 million effort funded by the State Highway Operation and Protection Program, the state highway system's fix-it-first program for repair and preservation. It includes pavement, guardrail, curb, and crosswalk upgrades, plus work to bring assets up to ADA standards and add Class II bike lanes on both the north-bound and south-bound sides of the roadway.

The work stoppage does not end the project. Caltrans said the SR-1 Multi-Asset Roadway Rehabilitation Project will continue through the summer of 2027, with later phases set to move from North Main Street to State Route 92, Kelly Ave, and Poplar Ave.