Welcome to Noozhawk Asks, a new feature in which you ask the questions, you help decide what Noozhawk investigates, and you work with us to find the answers.
This week’s question: After all the head-on collisions (and near-misses) on Highway 154, why doesn’t Santa Barbara County or Caltrans erect a center median or divider?
— Suzanne Rogers, Santa Barbara
In short, the road’s narrow width, according to Caltrans District 5 spokesman Jim Shivers.
Additionally, installing a center divider likely would prove unpopular since it would block access to driveways and the multiple intersections with public roads along the heavily-traveled highway, Shivers said.
In the past 20 years, the road has seen improvements, paid for with state, federal and Santa Barbara County Association of Governments funds.
These include two full interchanges at each end of Highway 154, passing lanes, left-turn channelizations, centerline rumble strips, overlays for ride smoothness and other smaller projects, Shivers said.
Even with various improvements, there’s one more key component to avoiding crashes — drivers, the California Highway Patrol said.
“The road is not unsafe,” CHP Officer Rick Larson said. “There are times people drive unsafe on the road, which causes the crashes.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.