Hwy 101 Southbound closes Sunday night for emergency repair

BURLINGAME, Calif. (BCN) -- All lanes of U.S. Highway 101 in the Millbrae/Burlingame area will be closed for six hours starting Sunday night for an emergency repair project, according to the California Highway Patrol. 

The closure will start at 10 p.m. and last until 4 a.m. Monday on southbound Highway 101 from Millbrae Avenue in Millbrae and to East Poplar Avenue in San Mateo and on northbound Highway 101 from Anza Boulevard to Broadway in Burlingame, according to the CHP.

Workers will be erecting a temporary electric transmission tower and will restring power lines, CHP officials said.

A crane being used on an overcrossing replacement project at Broadway struck a transmission tower at about 9:30 p.m. Friday causing live power lines to fall across all lanes of the highway, according to the CHP.

It took special equipment to shut down power and clear the lines from the highway, CHP officials said.

Highway 101 was closed in both directions until about 4:30 p.m. today and authorities needed several hours to help motorists off the freeway, according to the CHP.

Highway officials said an alternate route for northbound motorists during the upcoming closure is westbound state Highway 92 to northbound Interstate Highway 280 to eastbound Interstate Highway 380 to Highway 101.

The officials suggest southbound drivers take westbound I-380 to southbound I-280 to eastbound Highway 92 to Highway 101.  

The highway may close again in the future to allow workers to move the power lines from the temporary tower to a permanent tower, CHP officials said.

The Broadway overcrossing and the Broadway on- and off-ramps to Highway 101 will stay closed until Monday as PG&E crews make repairs.