Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians will host a Traffic Circulation and Safety community meeting to discuss potential improvements to key traffic corridors in the Santa Ynez Valley. The meeting will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at Hotel Corque Harvest B Room, 400 Alisal Road, Solvang,
This is the second community meeting of the Traffic Circulation and Safety Study that will feature results from public input and technical analysis on various improvements being considered.
The Santa Ynez Traffic Circulation and Safety Study is intended to comprehensively assess and identify needed current and future circulation and safety improvements. The overarching goal is to achieve a better quality of life for the community and those who use the roadways — pedestrians, motorists and cyclists.
“My vision for the Traffic Safety and Circulation Study is one where improvements are shaped by local Santa Ynez Valley residents who understand the issues first-hand,” said county Supervisor Joan Hartmann, SBCAG director who represents Valley residents.
“We received suggestions from over 100 participants who took the time to attend the bus tour in spring 2019, and the community meeting last fall,” she said. “We urge all community members to attend the March 26 community meeting and share your views.
“Engaging our local stakeholders is at the heart of this process and we look forward to broad community participation.”
The public will discuss potential improvements being considered including:
» Installation of either a roundabout, traffic signal, or all-way stop-control at the Roblar Ave/SR-154 intersection as a traffic calming/speed reduction measure, to replace the current two-way stop-controlled operation.
» Addition of a pedestrian scramble crosswalk operation at the Alisal Dr/SR-246 (Mission Drive) intersection, which would allow pedestrians to cross in all directions (including diagonally) within an exclusive phase (vehicle traffic would stop in all directions for that phase).
The Santa Ynez Valley is primarily served by a series of state highways: SR 154, SR 246 and US 101.
These state highways handle an increased demand of regional, tourist and local trips, and also serve as “main street” for several of the cities and communities in the Santa Ynez Valley. As such, there are competing demands on the highway network from passenger vehicles, transit, trucks, cyclists and pedestrians.
Santa Ynez Valley Traffic Circulation & Safety Study is an 18-month long study. A bus tour of the study area was conducted in February 2019, and a public workshop in September 2019. The upcoming March 26 community meeting will be the final public workshop before the study is completed by June.
Public input is critical to establish a vision for traffic and safety projects that the community supports. The public is urged to join the discussion. To RSVP or to get more information, email Katherine Padilla, community relations consultant, at kpadilla@katherinepadilla.com. Parking is available at the hotel.