By El Latino newsroom
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The City of Santa Barbara has been awarded $54 million through the California Active Transportation Program for projects on Cliff Drive, Milpas Street, and within the Westside and Lower West neighborhoods.
“The Active Transportation Program’s main purpose is to encourage increased use of active modes of transportation, such as biking and walking. Design and environmental review for these projects will commence in 2023 with construction anticipated to begin around 2026,” said SB Mayor Randy Rowse.
The Cliff Drive Project includes a 3.1-mile-long separated path from Arroyo Burro County Park to Castillo Street, three new traffic signals, eight new pedestrian-activated flasher crosswalk systems, and sidewalk widening connecting Cliff Drive to Monroe and McKinley Elementary Schools.
Safety enhancements are an important part of the project as Cliff Drive is the City’s highest priority Vision Zero corridor ranking first for highest number of collisions resulting in severe or fatal injuries.
Rowse stated the Westside and Lower West Project includes new sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, and cycling connections to improve neighborhood livability and safety.
The project also includes completing the sidewalk on Euclid Avenue for a pedestrian connection to the Westside Neighborhood Center as well as adding continuous sidewalk on Calle Real between Treasure Drive and Las Positas Road to provide a pedestrian connection to the Junipero Street overcrossing.
“The project’s features were identified through the Westside and Lower West Neighborhood Transportation Plan,” the Mayor said.
Also, Rowse stated the Milpas Street Project includes crosswalk safety enhancements, traffic signal improvements, lighting improvements, accessibility improvements, bus stop improvements, and major sidewalk repair.
“The project will be implemented at the same time as a City-funded pavement restoration project. Milpas Street is also a Vision Zero priority corridor, ranking ninth in the City for highest number of collisions resulting in severe or fatal injuries. The project features were identified through community meetings between 2019 and early 2022,” the mayor said.
To learn more about the projects, please visit: www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov/NTMP
