The city of Goleta has received a $5.56 million grant for the Goleta Train Depot Project from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Supplemental Funding. The grant is being matched by a $1 million commitment of city funds.

Goleta was a co-applicant for the money with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG).

“We are thrilled to receive this wonderful news,” said Jaime Valdez, Neighborhood Services director. “Without this critical infusion of funding, the Goleta Train Depot was at risk of being stalled with none of the project benefits being realized until another source of funding was identified.”

The Goleta Train Depot is currently in the design phase. The next step in the process is going out to bid this summer with construction anticipated to begin near the end of the year.

The additional funding is key to keep the project moving, the city said. Since January 2022, the project team has seen widespread and substantial increases in costs for materials and construction on large scale projects throughout California, and generally throughout the country. 

Total project budget is more than $25 million, which includes the original $13 million in TIRCP funding the city received, the additional $5.56 million TIRCP funding, and city funds.

When completed, the Goleta Depot will be a full-service, multi-modal train station next to the existing Amtrak platform on South La Patera Lane.

By creating a full-service station, the city hopes to increase train ridership; improve connections to bus transit; accommodate transit service to/from the Santa Barbara Airport and UCSB; and add new bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

For more on the Goleta Train Depot project, click here.