The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has approved the construction contract for Phase II of the Modoc Multi-use Path. Construction is expected to begin this fall.
The $6.5 million project will complete an eight-mile-long Class I (multi-use) path network from Isla Vista to Arroyo Burro Beach and the city of Santa Barbara.
It will also provide a more comfortable experience for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
The new path will extend the existing Obern Trail from the western Encore Drive intersection to the intersection of Via Senda, where it will connect to the recently completed Phase I multi-use path section.
The Board of Supervisors approved Phase I in 2022, and construction was completed in August 2023
“This beautiful path will allow more people to bike, roll and stroll from one part of our community to another — safely,” said 2nd District Supervisor Laura Capps. “It takes a village to make these projects come to life.
“I’m grateful to all the partners for sticking with this project and believing in the end goal.”
Modoc Road is a high-speed minor arterial in unincorporated Santa Barbara County with speed limits of 45 mph, no continuous ADA-compliant pathway, and Class II bike lanes primarily used by experienced bicyclists.
The project provides a safety benefit by creating a pathway where bicyclists and pedestrians are separated from motor vehicles. It also provides several new pedestrian crossings for residential neighborhoods to cross Modoc Road to reach the Modoc Path, Modoc Preserve and Obern Trail.
The project is identified in the Eastern Goleta Valley Community Plan, County Active Transportation Plan, and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Regional Active Transportation Plan.
The project is funded by the County General Fund ($1.1 million); a State Active Transportation Program Grant ($2.6 million); County Service Area 3 Special District ($1 million); Measure A ($1.3 million), and the State Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account ($500,000).
For more about the project, visit www.countyofsb.org/modocmup.