Get ready for more construction work along Highway 101.

Monday (April 26) is ground breaking ceremony for the widening of 101 from Rohnert Park Expressway south to Pepper Road in Cotati. The addition of a car pool lane in each direction will be great for those who every day must battle the traffic over the Cotati Grade, but it’ll be a pain during construction.

Already dozens of K-rails have popped up along 101 at the bridges and overpasses along that stretch in anticipation of making them wider to accommodate the extra lanes, which will go in the median. Redwood trees already have been cut down along both sides of the highway, although a few shorn of their branches have been left standing for now, looking rather odd as you pass by.

Caltrans spokesman Robert Haus says the heavy-duty construction work will begin once the ground firms up after  some warm weather. He says the contractor is working under a “no disturbed earth” policy, meaning no construction work can be done in areas where dirt or mud could possibly run off into streams and such. And that’s why the branch-less trees are still there — for now.

The $55 million widening project is due to be finished in spring 2011. It’ll include some sound walls as well.