A 27-year-old woman from Paso Robles died in a crash on Wednesday at the intersection of Wellsona Road and Highway 101. It's been the site of numerous crashes over the years and work to improve safety in this area was set to take place starting in 2022.
According to Caltrans, the project has been held up over the purchase of private property needed to complete the project.
“The negotiations took some time," Caltrans Public Informations Officer Jim Shivers said. "They were ongoing and we're now at the point where we can now move forward and build this project.”
With the planning portion out of the way, construction bidding is set to begin in mid-September. Once a bid is accepted, Caltrans will work alongside the selected company to be sure all state requirements are being met.
The proposed construction includes an under-crossing beneath Highway 101 south of the existing intersection, eliminating the need for motorists to make left turns across traffic on Highway 101. This would prevent broadside and left-turn merge-related collisions, according to Caltrans.
Neighbors in the area say they see accidents happen about every other month. Emily Rodriguez says there have been three fatalities since she and her family moved into their home off of Wellsona Road.
“We tell people to stay away from it, even though it's the most convenient way to get to our home," Rodriguez said. "It's the most dangerous, so we use other methods.”
“We're aware that there have been a number of collisions at this location," Shivers added. "We have implemented the traffic beacons as a way to alert travelers."
It's not yet known how long the construction will take, but officials say no full closures of Highway 101 and Wellsona Road are expected.
