Work to End Sunday on California 150

An eight-month project to repair a weak slope supporting a one-mile stretch of California 150 near Thomas Aquinas College will be finished by Sunday, Caltrans officials said.

Begun in July, the $4-million project to stabilize a 700-foot landslide north of Santa Paula was prompted by last winter’s El Nino rains, officials said.

California Department of Transportation workers moved 1,800 tons of rock, hauled away about 7,500 cubic meters of dirt and used more than 800 cubic meters of concrete, officials said. Workers also planted more than 2,600 trees and shrubs to help restore the site.

Officials said a project of this magnitude ordinarily would have taken up to two years. However, officials rushed permits through and hired extra crews to finish the project in eight months.

“We are happy to have the roadway opened to two-way traffic this weekend,” said Kelly Lamare, project manager, “and we really appreciate the understanding and cooperation of the local community.”