Two city of Goleta capital improvement projects have won Project of the Year Awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA) Central Coast Chapter.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan won the 2018-19 Project of the Year in the Special Studies <$2 million category.
The Hollister Avenue Class I Bike Path/Multi-Purpose Safe Route to School project was Project of the Year runner-up in the Transportation $2 million-$5 million category.
This is the third award for this project, having received two in 2018: the Santa Barbara County Project of the Year by the Santa Barbara-Ventura Branch of ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) and the Bikeways and Trails Project of the Year Award by the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
“It’s wonderful that our projects earn the recognition they so deserve,” said Mayor Paula Perotte.
“I am very excited about the city’s adoption of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and what it means to our community by making it easier to walk and bike around town,” she said. “Thank you to all the residents who provided input and the hard work of staff.
“The Hollister Class I Bike Path is another great asset to Goleta. I see children and adults using it every day, and I am so glad that we were able to design and build something so useful for our community.”
Over the last two years, the city has undertaken a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP). This was developed with input from the community, project consultant, technical advisory committee, city commissions and City Council.
The City Council adopted the plan Oct. 16, and the document will provide the city with a roadmap for the next 10-20 years.
The BPMP will make it easier to bike and walk around town by encouraging the development of an integrated bicycle and pedestrian system throughout the Goleta with connections to other regional bike systems.
The BPMP also promotes public health by urging more people to bike and walk, reducing car usage and fuel consumption, and promoting transportation equity.
The plan outlines a range of improvements within public rights-of-way that will be developed and constructed when the council directs project funding and prioritization.
These improvements will occur over the next 10-20 years and coordinate with the existing Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
The BPMP is also considered a “living document” the council can update as needed in future years when new programs and projects are identified. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaBPMP.
Goleta’s newest multi-use path, the Hollister Class I Bike Path, was completed in February.
The 14-foot-wide concrete path along Hollister Avenue from Pacific Oaks Road to Ellwood Elementary School makes travel to and from the school more accessible for students in the area.
The path aso serves UCSB students, recreational riders and commuters, and promotes active, sustainable transportation.
To construct the multi-use path, Hollister Avenue was re-striped and the existing median islands reconstructed. The path is open to pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and scooter riders.
At community meeting in January 2018, attendees were taught how to safely use the new bike path, reviewed what the markings and signage mean, and learned how bicyclists and pedestrians can better share the space.
In addition, through a partnership with COAST (Coalition for Sustainable Transportation), every classroom at Ellwood School took a walk along the path with a COAST representative to learn how to safely use the new path.
For more, visit https://tinyurl.com/HollisterClassI.
— Jaime Shaw for city of Goleta.