The California Transportation Commission has awarded $132.4 million to the Santa Barbara portion of the massive Highway 101 project.
The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and Caltrans received the funding last week, and it is the “second highest funded project in California to receive competitive Senate Bill 1 program funding,” according to SBCAG.
The award comes from the 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Senate Bill 1 grant programs, a $2 billion investment by the state.
The Santa Barbara U.S. 101 Multimodal Corridor Project is part of the Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project — which has a total estimated cost of $945 million — which is adding a third, carpool lane in each direction.
Improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is also part of the project.
According to the release from SBCAG, Senate Bill 1 — the Road Repair and Accountability Act — has invested $316 million into the Highway 101 corridor, and Measure A, the local transportation sales tax, brings in $150 million for the full project.
“These infrastructure improvements could not be possible without SB1, which has made a positive impact in infrastructure projects in Santa Barbara County and around the state,” Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades said in a statement.
The release also said that $145 million is required to fully fund the remaining construction that ends at Sycamore Creek in Santa Barbara.
The Montecito portion of the project is currently under construction, and so are parallel projects including the San Ysidro Road roundabout.
The $132.4 million award will fund the following components of the Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project, SBCAG said:
- A peak-hour carpool lane in each direction of Highway 101 between Sheffield Drive and Hermosillo Road for the Montecito segment, and the start of the Santa Barbara segment.
- Sheffield Drive to Ortega Hill pedestrian and bicycle connector to the California Coastal Trail and Pacific Bike Route in Summerland and Montecito.
- Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transportation District electric buses purchases for Line 20.
- Zero emission vehicle charging infrastructure along the highway corridor.
- Contactless card readers for Ventura County Transportation Commission Coastal Express buses.
More information on the Highway 101 Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project, such as project timelines, construction and detour updates, future projects, and more is available on the project’s website at sbroads.com.