There were a lot of confused expressions on motorists’ faces this afternoon as Eureka drivers turned north onto R Street, headed toward the Samoa Bridges on State Route 255, only to see that the lane had been blocked by traffic cones and signs reading “ROAD CLOSED” and “DETOUR.”

Even more confusing was a digital display sign onsite that said northbound 255 traffic would be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for more than a month — from September 5 through October 9. 

Peninsula residents, Samoa Beach fans and scenic route-takers will all be relieved to learn that that’s not the case, though there will be more closures in the coming weeks. 

After reaching out to Caltrans District 1 for more information, the agency posted the following information on its Facebook page this evening:

Heads up! Periodically over the next several weeks, there will be weekdays when travelers who take Route 255 northbound from Eureka to New Navy Base Road will need to use an alternate route. While in effect, southbound traffic will be permitted in the opposite direction from New Navy Base Road to Eureka.

Following today’s closure, the next will occur on Tuesday, September 12 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. We’ll post here [on Facebook] about when to expect the next one after that.

Crews are improving the highway via micro-surfacing. Due to the work’s available flagging locations, anticipated traffic queues, and sight distance challenges on the bridges, a northbound closure was determined to maximize safety and minimize delays. Thank you for your patience as crews conduct these improvements.