Mission Street Completes Its Side Project

Bike lanes and a spruced up pedestrian area give the Highway 101 undercrossing a more user-friendly feel

Among those cutting the ribbon on the new, more cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly Mission Street undercrossing were, from left, Santa Barbara City Councilmembers Helene Schneider and Das Williams, Mayor Marty Blum and Councilman Roger Horton.
Among those cutting the ribbon on the new, more cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly Mission Street undercrossing were, from left, Santa Barbara City Councilmembers Helene Schneider and Das Williams, Mayor Marty Blum and Councilman Roger Horton. (Lara Cooper / Noozhawk photo)

By Lara Cooper, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 04.06.2009

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Cyclists now have new bike lanes to take advantage of on busy Mission Street at the Highway 101 undercrossing, thanks to a completed project the city of Santa Barbara has had in the works for nearly a decade. 

A cyclist pedals through traffic at Mission Street on a new bike lane that was installed in the area at the Highway 101 undercrossing.
A cyclist pedals through traffic at Mission Street on a new bike lane that was installed in the area at the Highway 101 undercrossing. (Lara Cooper / Noozhawk photo)

City officials, community members and cycling advocates gathered Monday to celebrate completion of the $1.5 million worth of service improvements for the area of Mission Street at Highway 101. In addition to bike lanes on each side of Mission, pedestrian areas got new ramps, wider sidewalks, more street lighting, traffic signal modifications, curbs, gutters and retaining walls.

The site has long been a source of irritation for local cyclists and pedestrians, and the improvements were welcomed by Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition president Ralph Fertig, who was present at the ribbon cutting. Fertig called the area one of “the scariest places for people on bicycles,” and said that adding the actual lanes made a “tremendous difference.”

“Before you were in the lane with all the cars and you hope they see you,” said Fertig, who expressed appreciation for the improved traffic signals, which can now detect the presence of bicycles.

A number of city officials attended the gathering, including Mayor Marty Blum and Council members Councilman Roger Horton, Councilman Grant House, Helene Schneider and Councilman Das Williams.

Gregg Hart of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments said Santa Barbara was on the cutting edge making sure that pedestrians and bicycles have an equal share of the roadway. Funding for the project was administered through SBCAG from a federal transportation enhancement grant.

“About 10 years ago state law was changed to give a lot more authority to regional agencies, like SBCAG,” he said. “As a result, I think you see a lot more projects that are community oriented ... that are important to the people of Santa Barbara, rather than something that Sacramento thinks is appropriate for our community.”

While the bike lanes clearly make a difference at the highway undercrossing, cyclists riding toward State Street will continue to have little margin for error in the narrow and congested, four-lane stretch of Mission Street between Castillo and De la Vina streets.

The city-managed project was designed by MNS Engineers, constructed by Lash Construction and overseen by Penfield & Smith. The project was funded by six sources including the Regional Surface Transportation Program, Local Surface Transportation, Transportation Enhancement, Local Streets and Caltrans Agreement Funds.

— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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» westside resident on 04.07.09 @ 06:53 AM

Did anyone notice the beautiful grafitti on the train overpass in the backround???  I thought the city was suppose to clean this up…it’s been two days now.

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» AN50 ( AKA ETTAG) on 04.07.09 @ 07:56 AM

Bike riding is good and must be provided for.

But lets all remember that the vast majority of us drive cars as our primary mode of transportation and the car must also be fully provided for.

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» Hilarious. on 04.07.09 @ 12:17 PM

This picture is classic. The city spends its money putting in benches at the freeway exits for the bums to feel more comfortable (and celebrates the achievement) while ignoring the blatant gang grafitti across an entire overpass.

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» westside resident on 04.07.09 @ 02:19 PM

I,too, thought those benches were ridiculous but I think they have since been removed (maybe they were there temporarily for the workers???)  Anyway, last I checked the grafitti is still there.

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» Lee Moldaver on 04.08.09 @ 03:38 PM

This is great news. This location was a “high priority” on the City wish list since the
days of Edgar Monroy, over 25 years ago. This link connects the Modoc-Goleta-UCSB
bikeway system with the Bath-Castillo one-way couplets, and reduces the risk for
motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike at the 101 underpass.

The City’s graffiti abatement program is a fantastic resource, and they work fast. When
graffiti is on a state or railroad right-of-way, they have to call around to decide whom
is authorized to paint it out.

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» Edgar Monroy on 04.08.09 @ 06:21 PM

I have forgotten who I am, so maybe Lee Moldaver can illuminate?

And, please, AN50, do describe “how the car must also be fully provided for.”  Have you been driving around with Gina Perry again?

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» westside resident on 04.09.09 @ 09:28 AM

I hope all the bicyclist are enjoying the view of the grafitti that is still there (okay, if it’s not the city’s responsibility can someone please take care of it)

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» AN50 on 04.09.09 @ 12:57 PM

Way too much money is being spent on bike paths, when only 3% of us ride our bike to work.

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» AN50 on 04.11.09 @ 08:18 AM

The poster above claiming to be AN50 is “Less is More”. This freak of nature has decided to post under my name in some attempt to discredit my postings. The editor of this rag has no intention of policing this kind of childish behavior so Less is compelled to continue. If you disagree with this maniac he will do the same to you at the blessing of the Noozehawk. I have posted at other more reputable sites my opinions on this matter.

[Editor’s note: Don’t go blaming this on Noozhawk, my friend. The vast majority of those who post comments here are respectful of their fellow readers, and get respect in return. But you and I have had this conversation before.]

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» AN50 on 04.12.09 @ 06:49 AM

To the Editor,

So let’s get this straight. I pound on Less for his illogical and irrational postings and get the admonishing of the Editor. Less decides to fight back by posting under my name (same as lying)and it’s my fault for being too mean to Less? You threatened another poster with censorship because he/she responded to Less in a facetious manor about Less’s lying. Haven’t seen any further postings from this other person so I assume you carried out your threat. Why don’t you start pinging IP addresses? You can clear this up in a hurry by keeping a data base of IPA’s and poster ID’s and shutting down those who use other’s names as a form of retribution, unless your intention is to rid the internet of lively conversation in favor of lying conversation.

[Editor’s note: My only intention, as it has been from Noozhawk’s birth, is to have a respectful discourse on the stories and articles we write and post. What part of respectful do you not understand? And just how, exactly, do you know you’re the only commenter being admonished? You seem awfully certain that you know how I spend my days — and nights — but based on the straight-up ignorance you’re displaying in that statement, you clearly have no idea.]

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» AN50 on 04.13.09 @ 11:21 AM

Dear Editor:

I guess I don’t understand your hostility or some of your comments. All I want to know is why it is so bad for Noozhawk to have lively discussions which may stretch the boundaries of “respectful”,  but allowing someone to post crap under some one else’s name is OK? I believe you and the staff at Noozhawk has done a really smart job in providing not only great local and national news coverage but also allowing the community feedback on wide ranging topics. I don’t want some idiot, with a personal vendetta, destroying the credibility we have in sharing our thoughts by posting under other people’s identifiers. You have the editorial license to shut down any of mine or other’s comments you deem inappropriate and I don’t have a problem with that. But why the pass on someone who is in effect lying and deceiving your posters by posting under other people’s names? Maybe my rather assertive/aggressive commenting style rubs you raw as it did Less, I don’t know. But I do know what a chilling effect it can have on a web site when posters are allowed to openly and notoriously lie and are not called on it by the staff. If this is a technical problem (inability to record IPA’s and ID’s in a database) I can understand that and maybe starting a registry of some sort is the way to go. Admonishing me for my comment style or being ignorant will not help you here. You got a much bigger problem than AN50 hurting Less’s feelings.

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