The Coast News Group
At least nine crews from local small business contractors worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the highway was closed March 15 due to a damaged culvert. Courtesy photo/Caltrans
At least nine crews from local small business contractors worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the highway was closed March 15 due to a damaged culvert. Courtesy photo/Caltrans
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State Route 78 to fully reopen for evening commute after weeks of repairs

OCEANSIDE — After weeks of emergency work on state Route 78, Caltrans officials today 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.

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.

A collapsed metal culvert was replaced with concrete pipes running underneath the state Route 78. Courtesy photo/Caltrans
A collapsed metal culvert was replaced with a concrete pipe underneath state Route 78. Courtesy photo/Caltrans

“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 quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.