Three Montecito bridges damaged in the Jan. 9 debris flows will be demolished and rebuilt, Caltrans said Monday, adding that Montecito-area Highway 192 closures will stay in effect until the bridges are constructed. 

Highway 192 is closed between Sycamore Canyon/Camino Viejo Road near Santa Barbara and Cravens Lane near Carpinteria, and four bridges along the highway were heavily damaged in the storm. 

Caltrans contracted with Security Paving Company, of Sylmar, to rebuild the Montecito Creek, Romero Creek and Toro Canyon bridges for $20 million.

The damaged Arroyo Parida Creek bridge, which was already scheduled to be replaced, will also be demolished and rebuilt. 

The four bridges will be closed to all vehicles (except emergency and utility vehicles) with barricades and locked gates, for several months, and then demolished, Caltrans said. 

There is no timeline yet for how long it will take to design and rebuild the bridges, District 5 spokesman Jim Shivers said. 

“We will know more about a timetable when we have a clearer sense of what we are building,” he said in an email.

Designs could be finished in a week or two, spokesman Colin Jones said.

The Highway 192 (East Valley Road) closure will stay in effect until new bridges are built, Shivers added.

Caltrans said it installed temporary guardrails on the San Ysidro Creek and Toro Creek bridges, which are open with one-lane, one-way traffic control. 

Santa Barbara County needs to repair or replace several of its bridges as well. 

Click here to view a map of the bridge closures.

— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.