Northbound Traffic Shifts to One Lane on Indianola Undercrossing Bridge as Realignment Continues

Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 9:10 am Lisa Music 2 comments

Indianola Undercrossing below Highway 101

Caltrans rendering of Indianola Undercrossing bridge supporting Highway 101 traffic.

Northbound drivers on Highway 101 between Eureka and Arcata encountered new congestion this morning as traffic was shifted onto a single lane over the new Indianola Undercrossing bridge—mirroring what southbound motorists experienced yesterday.

This week, Caltrans crews have been rerouting traffic onto the new overcrossing as paving permits as part of a major realignment project intended to improve long-standing safety issues along the busy corridor. The initial change Tuesday morning brought heavy backups, with stop-and-go traffic stretching through the morning commute until the second southbound lane opened around 9:30 a.m.

Today, the two southbound lanes remain open and moving smoothly. But with only one northbound lane currently available, drivers heading toward Arcata faced the same squeeze that southbound commuters dealt with yesterday. Northbound traffic on Highway 101 is experiencing delays and congestion south of the Indianola cutoff along the safety corridor, impacting traffic from Murray Field through the construction site this morning. Caltrans anticipates opening the second northbound lane later today, though the morning peak saw noticeable slowing.

The Caltrans QuickMap indicates northbound traffic on Highway 101 is heavily congested.

Caltrans continues to urge drivers to travel carefully through the changing configuration and to follow posted speed limits.

Update: Traffic is now flowing smoothly after Caltrans has opened the second northbound lane, with all four lanes of traffic over the Indianola Undercrossing Bridge now open.

Here’s what Caltrans says,

TWO-WAY UP HIGH AT INDIANOLA: Northbound and southbound traffic is now moving on the raised U.S. 101 section of the new Indianola Undercrossing, a major milestone in improving safety along our busiest stretch between Eureka and Arcata. This undercrossing replaces an intersection that once had a significantly higher-than-average collision rate.

Interest in the project has grown in recent weeks as travelers watched paving, guardrail and cable-barrier installation, striping, and the polyester concrete overlay take shape on the bridge.

Work will continue into next year, including building the new southbound on and off-ramps at Indianola, paving beneath the structure, installing a half-signal at Airport Road, removing four median crossings, restoring wetlands, planting trees and shrubs on the new slopes, and creating trail access from Indianola Cutoff to the Humboldt Bay Trail.

The Indianola Undercrossing is part of the larger Eureka-Arcata U.S. 101 Corridor Improvement Project, which also includes new lanes, bridge upgrades, and additional safety and mobility improvements to help reduce collisions and keep travelers moving smoothly.

Earlier: New 101 Alignment at Indianola Causes Morning Delays, Second Lane Now Open