The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department issued two closures on Tuesday, shutting down public access to part of the Maria Ygnacio Bike Path in the Goleta Valley due to undermined road, and Schoolhouse Road in Montecito due to a sinkhole.

The portion of the Maria Ygnacio Bike Path that runs between Calle Real and Lassen Drive is closed.

On Thursday, Public Works spokesperson Lael Wageneck said that stretch of the Maria Ygnacio Bike Path is expected to be closed through the summer.

He said county engineers are working on a plan to stabilize the path, but they can’t work during the rainy season “due to environmental factors and regulatory restrictions.”

The 1.9-mile path runs along Maria Ygnacio Creek and is often used by people traveling from the northside of Highway 101 to the southside of Hollister Avenue. 

While that stretch remains closed, the public should use Turnpike or Patterson avenues to connect with the other side of the bike path.

Wageneck said that while the bike path is “critical” to travelers and commuters, people should not ignore the path closure signs.

“The situation is dynamic and the undermining of the path increases as the high flowing creek below is actively scouring dirt below the structure,” he said.

Schoolhouse Road in Montecito is closed between Hot Springs and San Ysidro roads.

That road is located near Manning Park and Montecito Union Elementary School.

A reopening date for Schoolhouse Road was not listed on the county’s website as of Thursday.