The San Benito Route 156 Improvement Project (Caltrans EA 05-344904) encompasses the construction of a new highway and much safer and more resilient roadway parallel to the current alignment, providing better access between Highway 101, Hollister, and other key destinations in the region. The project features a unique, new roundabout constructed of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) with a pavement thickness of 10.8”, same as the mainline. The new roundabout provides safe access from the agriculture fields north and south of the new alignment to the old Hwy 156 (now, a new frontage road), and provides safe access to the new roadway for all local residents.
Looking west, the old Highway 156 to the right now serves as a frontage road and provides a safer, lower-speed travel environment for agricultural equipment serving the farms throughout the region.
The center of the roundabout is highlighted by a large rock blanket, surrounded by a colored CRCP truck apron that’s 1.15-feet-thick and three inches higher than the adjacent lane to discourage autos from driving onto it, but still accessible enough for larger trucks to drive atop, if needed, while taking the roundabout.
The new CRCP will continue all the way from the roundabout to the old Highway 156 (new frontage road). The design calls for longitudinal rebar in the CRCP to continue through the roundabout east-west to the adjacent CRCP, where the north-south sections will be “isolated” from the mainline. This design will have better long-life performance for the heavy truck traffic running east-west. The truck apron will also be isolated. CRCP support slabs similar to terminal joints will help with load transfer between the isolated areas.
Big thanks and a tip of the hard hat to Greg Bartholomew, Teichert Concrete Paving Superintendent, and Nate Gonzalez, Teichert Project Manager – Monterey Bay, and Jordan Nuque, Teichert Project Engineer and Drone Pilot, for the photos.