The new HOV lane takes some pressure off Hwy 101 through Carpinteria

CARPINTERIA, Calif. - The long awaited improvement to add another northbound lane to Highway 101 in Carpinteria is now rolling along.

Friday, the lane opened. It is a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane. Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. drivers who have one or more passengers can use the lane. Others will be cited and fined.

The extra lane is part of a plan to reduce the traffic the area is known for. In 2025, a Metrolink rail component is also expected to be added.

For now the new seven mile stretch makes the northbound drive from Santa Monica Road to Sheffield Drive easier than the bumper to bumper history it has every morning.

At Sheffield, however, the next phase of freeway work is underway and the flow shrinks down to two lanes.

Ultimately as the funding gets approved by various government agencies, the overall freeway widening project is expected to be finished in 2028.