South Bay drivers should start planning for delays and detours this weekend as Caltrans shuts down a section of northbound Highway 87 in San Jose.
The 56-hour closure between Interstate 280 and Highway 85 began Friday at 9 p.m. and will continue until 5 a.m. Monday.
Detours during Highway 87 closure
During the closure, Caltrans recommends these detours:
- southbound Highway 85 to northbound Highway 101 to northbound Interstate 280
- northbound Highway 85 to northbound Highway 17 to southbound Interstate 280
Why is the Highway 87 closure happening?
Caltrans said it will use the 56 hours to remove old asphalt and repave the stretch of highway.
"We’ve definitely heard from the public," Caltrans official Victor Gauthier said. "People have been saying it’s time to fix some of the potholes and some of the drainage systems on the highway. It’s been years that people have been saying, ‘Hey, it’s time.' We’re finally going out and repaving this entire structure."
Crews will also upgrade guardrails and barriers, work on 28 curb ramps at six intersections, and improve traffic signals and drainage facilities.
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"We learned from the inclement weather that we experienced, so we want to make sure that all the drains are flowing freely," Gauthier said.
Are more Highway 87 closures planned?
While northbound Highway 87 is expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, drivers can brace for another major closure starting Oct. 20 as crews work to rehab southbound Highway 87.
