EASTBOUND 78 REOPENS AFTER SINKHOLE REPAIRS
Caltrans officials say emergency work on main North County freeway finally complete
Eastbound state Route 78, North County’s main east-west freeway, reopened Monday.
It is big news for commuters who have been coping with delays and detours since March 15 when rain-soaked ground collapsed decadesold metal pipes called culverts buried up to 60 feet below the roadway, causing a sinkhole so expansive that all westbound lanes were closed for extensive repairs.
Two of three westbound lanes were reopened by April 5, though the third inside lane remained closed, giving construction crews extra room to work as they began excavating and replacing the nine underground pipes under eastbound 78.
The third westbound lane reopened at about 11 a.m. Monday.
On April 5, when the work switched from westbound to eastbound, Caltrans officials estimated that it would take about three weeks to complete the replacement of nine steel culverts buried about 60 feet under the roadway, but the
work ended up taking a little more than one month.
Everett Townsend, chief deputy of Caltrans’ San Diego office, said Monday that in addition to some weather delays, the pace of deep excavation added to the timeline, though crews worked around the clock, seven days per week.
“It took a little longer than we anticipated,” Townsend said.
Westbound repairs took about three weeks to complete, running from March 15 through April 5.
Despite the hours, weather challenges and heightened danger of collapse inherent in deep digging, Townsend said the emergency construction effort, estimated to cost more than $20 million, had no injuries reported.
Work under state Route 78 will not end with reopening of the stretch from College Boulevard to El Camino Real Monday.
Caltrans is starting maintenance for more than 30 additional culvert systems under the roadway from Interstate 5 to Interstate 15, which will involve night work that is not expected to require shutting down the freeway. Work will be under way from Twin Oaks Valley Road in San Marcos to I-15 in the coming months, with some on and off ramps closed in evenings.