State Route 78 to Fully Reopen by Evening Commute After Weeks of Repairs

SAN DIEGO—After weeks of emergency work on State Route 78, Caltrans officials May 8 announced all lanes on the North County highway would be open for the evening commute.

Caltrans crews discovered a depression in the surfacing of the highway, and all westbound lanes were closed on March 15.

At least nine crews from local small business contractors worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week with some “putting their personal lives on hold to get the work done quickly,” according to a statement from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

All but one of the lanes in the westbound direction was opened on April 5 when work switched to the eastbound lanes. Digging continued, sometimes at depths of 60 feet, to uncover and replace nine damaged culverts.

The last westbound lane opened Monday at 11 a.m. and all eastbound lanes are scheduled to open by 2:00 p.m.

“We would like to thank the community, the cities of Oceanside and Vista, the traveling public, and local businesses for their patience and understanding while we completed this emergency work project at a cost of more than $21 million,” said Caltrans District 11 Chief Deputy Director Everett Townsend.

Some night closures and shoulder closures may be in place for the next two weeks while the final details of the project are completed, the statement read. The work schedule is subject to change due to weather, traffic incidents, or other maintenance considerations.

For real-time traffic information visit Caltrans’s website.