September 9, 2026
US 101 Improvement Project –
Presentation to City of Camarillo
Agenda
1. Project Background and Overview
2. Alternative Analysis
3. Vehicle Miles Traveled
4. Funding
5. Project Schedule
6. Next Steps
Project Partners / Project Development Team
• VCTC
• Caltrans
• City of Thousand Oaks
• City of Camarillo
• City of Oxnard
• City of San Buenaventura
• County of Ventura
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Background and Overview
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Study Area -26.8 miles
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
• VCTC identified US 101 as the highway network’s greatest area of need • Aging infrastructure: Some segments of US 101 haven’t had significant improvements since the 1960s
• About half of the jobs and residences in Ventura County are in the US 101 Corridor • 58% of corridor trips stay within the corridor
• No continuous alternate routes
• Peak period speeds forecast to drop and travel time to increase • Person movement and goods movement constrained by the US 101 corridor • Provide an alternative to “Opt Out of Congestion”
Project Importance
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Multimodal Planning Approach
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
• 3 general purpose lanes (regular freeway lanes) in each direction from Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks to SR 33 in Ventura • 2 general purpose lanes in each direction within the SR 126 interchange • Few auxiliary lanes – mainly in Thousand Oaks
• No existing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/Carpool lanes Existing Conditions
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Alternative Analysis
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Alternatives Analysis
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Alternatives Analysis
Alternatives Evaluated
• No Build
• HOV Lane Using Non-Standard
Section
• HOV Lane Using Non-Standard
Section with Auxiliary Lanes
• HOV Lane Using Standard Section
with Auxiliary Lanes
• HOV Lane Using Standard Section
with Design Variations and Auxiliary
Lanes
• Two HOV Lanes Using Standard
Section with Auxiliary Lanes
• Reversible Lane
• Elevated Dedicated Transit Way
• General-Purpose Lane
• Tolled Lanes – not considered
• Combination of HOV Lane and
General-Purpose Lane
Purpose and Need
Project Purpose
a. Improve Traffic Conditions by:
a. Improving Trip Reliability
b. Achieve Regional HOV Connectivity
c. Support Regional Prosperity
d. Improve Efficiency of Public Transit System
Project Need
a. Improve Trip Reliability and Traffic Operations
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Final Set of Alternatives
• No Build
• HOV/Express Bus Lane with Auxiliary Lanes
• HOV/Express Bus Lane with Auxiliary Lanes
and Design Variations
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Final Set of Alternatives
Alternative 1: No Build
• No further improvements on US 101
• Represents a baseline condition
• Allows decision makers to compare the
impact of build alternatives to the
impact of doing nothing
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Alternative 2: HOV/Express Bus Lane with Auxiliary Lanes ($1.8 Billion) • Demonstrates the benefit of the HOV lane for carpools and express bus service • Improves freeway operations at busy on/off ramps with more auxiliary lanes • Uses the existing inside lane between Vineyard and Victoria to provide room for a standard width HOV lane and inside shoulder without widening the Santa Clara River bridge • Requires widening
freeway bridges
• Impacts local streets
• Requires some
property acquisition
Final Set of Alternatives
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Final Set of Alternatives
Alternative 3: HOV/Express Bus Lane with Auxiliary Lanes and Design Variations ($2.2 Billion)
• Minimizes impact to south hillside on the Conejo Grade • Extends the southbound auxiliary lane at Dawson Drive • Ends the northbound lane at California
Street rather than SR 33 to improve
weaving
• Maintains all existing general purpose
lanes from Vineyard to Victoria by
restriping the inside lanes and
shoulders
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Project Benefits
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Project Benefits
Community Benefits
• Avoids need for full
acquisitions of homes or
businesses
• Provides thousands of
construction jobs
• Maintains existing lanes
during construction
• Constructed in phases over 20
years to minimize disruption
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Project Benefits
Traffic Benefits
System Performance for alternatives:
• LOS D or better for freeway
segments
• < 21% more in 2040 vs. Alt 1
• < 27% more in 2060 vs. Alt 1
• 14 intersections improved by
proposed measures
• System performance under Alt 3 is
slightly better than Alt 2 in:
• Reducing average travel time
• Reducing average density
• Reducing VHD
• Improving average travel speeds
• Reliable trip time in the HOV lane
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Traffic Benefits
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Vehicle Miles Traveled
(VMT)
VMT Induced Demand
Induced Demand
• Estimated VMT based on model runs by Ventura County Transportation Model (VCTM) • VMT results presented and summarized in the TOAR (11/10/2021) • Caltrans Approved VMT Analysis & Mitigation Methodology in February 2023 Type 2040 Alt 1 No Build VMT 2040 Alt 2/3
VMT
Difference in VMT
from Alt 1 to Alt 2/3
%
Change
in VMT
Sub-
Region -
Annual
5,384,878,901 5,421,574,151 36,695,250 0.7%
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT)
Mitigation Program Components
Bike/Pedestrian projects
Solutions for Congested Corridors
Program (SCCP) Application Projects
Affordable Workforce Housing
Mobility Hubs
Transit/Vanpool Programs
Bicycle Marketing Program
Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
Mitigation Program will commit over
$240 million
For Multimodal Projects in the Corridor
38 million
Annual VMT
Reduced
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Funding, Project
Schedule & Next Steps
Total Est. Project Cost = $1.8B - $2.2B
Currently Programmed / Available Funding
• STIP: $133M (Programmed for FY 31)
• STBG: $85M
• Total: $218M
Grants
• SCCP: Cycle 3 (Approved) & Cycle 6 (Potential)
• BUILD: FY 26 (Applied)
• Requests for additional STBG from SCAG (Potential)
Potential Early Action Projects to be determined based on cost effectiveness to provide the highest benefits with the least costs
Funding
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
• Draft PR and Draft EIR/EA
• Final PR and Final EIR/EA
PA/ED Schedule
Engineering
Technical Studies
2021 - 2024
Environmental
Technical Studies
2023 -2025
Draft Project Report
Summer 2026
Final EIR/EA
2027
Public Circulation
Fall 2026
Selection of Locally
Preferred
Alternative
Winter 2026
Early Action
Phasing Strategy
Winter 2026
Draft EIR/EA
Summer 2026
Final Project
Report
2027
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Next Steps
• Circulate Draft Environmental
Document (Public Circulation)
• Outreach & Engagement (Public
Hearings)
• Selection of Preferred Alternative
Public Hearing Schedule
• Public Hearings will be held in late October / early November at the following locations:
• Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center – Wednesday, Nov. 4 • Oxnard Performing Arts Center – Thursday, Nov. 12
• Camarillo Library – Wednesday, Nov. 18
• Ventura City Hall Community Room – Thursday, Nov. 19
• In-Person Hearings scheduled for 5:30-7:30pm
• Virtual Public Hearing – Saturday, Nov. 14 – 10:30am – 12:00pm Public Circulation
• Public Review Period
• Tentative Circulation Dates: September 30, 2026 – December 7, 2026 • 68 calendar days
• How to Access Draft Environmental Document
• Will be available for review electronically via the project website at www.ourfuture101.org • Comment Due Date
• Comment period ends at 11:59p.m. on Monday, December 7, 2026 • How to Submit Comments
• Send your comments, including “US 101 HOV EIR/EA” in the subject line, no later than November 19, 2026, to [email protected] or by mail to:
Susan Tse Koo, Senior Environmental Scientist
California Department of Transportation
Division of Environmental Planning
100 South Main Street, MS 16A
Los Angeles, CA 90012
[email protected]
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org
Website
www.ourfuture101.org
social media
Instagram.com/ourfuture101
Contact Us
US-101 Improvement Project ourfuture101.org