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Caltrans presents Intelligent Transportation System for Central Coast In June 2004, a devastating wildfire along the Gaviota coast burned thousands of acres and forced the closure of Highway 101 for hours at a time. Detoured traffic backed up on Highway 154 for miles and stranded motorists stuck in traffic had no idea what road conditions were in the fire area. On the morning of September 14, 2004, after the peak commuting hours, Caltrans accident investigators were investigating a fatal traffic accident on Highway 101 near Olive Mill Road. Even though investigators were only out on the highway for an hour, traffic backed up for miles. If there had been a way to communicate to the traveling public the nature of the incident and the expected length of the delay, the impact of this incident could have been reduced. Caltrans has developed a Central Coast Intelligent Transportation Strategic Deployment Plan to aid local motorist with real time traffic information. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) use advanced sensor, computer, electronic communication technologies and management strategies to increase motorist safety and the efficiency of the road system. The Central Coast ITS Plan identified potential projects and strategies and a listing of the highest priority ITS projects for Santa Barbara County. A range of ITS improvements are envisioned for the county’s highways to provide travelers with notification of major incidents, road closures, slides and weather conditions. As part of the first phase of implementation of the ITS Plan, during last year’s 101 pavement rehabilitation project roadway loop detectors were installed under the new highway 101 surface paving to allow for real time traffic data collection. As funding allows, these loop detectors will be connected through a wireless network to a traffic management center located in San Luis Obispo where Caltrans traffic engineers can monitor regional traffic and road conditions round the clock. The SBCAG Board has allocated funds for changeable message signs (CMS) at the 101/154 junctions in both North County and the South Coast. This project will begin design and environmental review next year and construction is scheduled for late 2007. When the new freeway loop detectors are connected to the system and the changeable message signs at 154 & 101 are in place the confusion motorists faced when Highway 101 was closed by fire will be greatly reduced. |
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Measure D Protects Local Road Quality & Reduces Repair Costs Local streets and roads are in far better condition and are maintained more cost effectively thanks to Measure D. The local sales tax revenues generated by Measure D have provided the County and the local cities with more than $220 million since it was approved by County voters in 1989. Seventy percent of the Measure D funds generated each year are distributed to each local agency based on its population. The majority of these local allocations—more than 80%--have been used to maintain and repair local streets and roads. According to Phil Demery, Public Works Director for Santa Barbara County, the Measure D funds have not only helped the county to fix potholes and repair roads, but have helped keep the cost of maintaining streets lower. “It’s five times cheaper to keep roads in good condition with preventative maintenance and periodic surface treatments than to let the pavement deteriorate to the point where it requires more costly reconstruction,” says Demery. “Without Measure D funds,” he added, “I can’t keep our roads on preventative maintenance schedules and they would be in far worse condition.” A recent public opinion poll revealed that most people think that gas taxes pay for all street maintenance and repair work. In fact, in Santa Barbara County, Measure D local sales tax funds are a major portion of local street budgets. In the City of Santa Maria, for example, the $2.0 million the city receives annually from Measure D is nearly three times the amount of gas tax funds allocated to the city by the state. Over time, gas taxes have simply failed to keep up with the need for maintaining the enormous investment in Local Street and highway system. “Measure D has helped local public works departments fill this funding gap as well as potholes”, concluded Demery.
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Clean Air Express Expands Service New Service Features New Stops and Pass Options On September 1 several improvements for the Clean Air Express commuter bus service were introduced by SBCAG Traffic Solutions including expansion of the total number of routes serving Lompoc and Santa Maria residents from 8 to 10, standardized routes and stops, availability of a 10 ride pass, and new bus pass sales outlets. The Clean Air Express serves north county commuters traveling to their jobs in Goleta and Santa Barbara, providing a convenient, money-saving way to get to work. The Clean Air Express features comfortable motor coaches with high back seats, individual reading lights and ventilation, and plenty of storage. Most of the Clean Air Express buses are brand new. Features of the new service include: • New non-stop service from Lompoc to downtown Santa Barbara serving those working an 8-5 schedule • New non-stop service from Santa Maria to downtown Santa Barbara serving those working an 8-5 schedule • 10-Ride passes for all routes providing more flexibility than the than the monthly pass • New, convenient locations for bus pass sales in Santa Maria at the Town Center Mall and downtown Santa Barbara at the MTD Transit Center • Expanded service and standardized routes, increasing flexibility for riders Riding in a comfortable, climate-controlled motor coach is an attractive alternative to the stress, hassle, and expense of driving to work, and Clean Air Express riders save $500 or more every month. Imagine having that much back in your pocket every month—what would you do with the extra money? A complimentary test ride is available for any interested riders. For schedule and route information, fares, and more information about the Clean Air Express, visit the Clean Air Express website at www.CleanAirExpress.com or call 963-SAVE. |
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2004 Green Award Winners Announced
On September 20, 2004, the Green Award Consortium announced winners of the 2004 Green Awards, which recognize Santa Barbara County businesses and organizations for outstanding environmental efforts. SBCAG Traffic Solutions is one of the five Green Award Consortium members that organize the annual awards program. This year marks the 11th annual Green Awards program. Approximately 60 outstanding companies from throughout Santa Barbara County have been awarded over the past eleven years. “Each year we recognize businesses and organizations that combine environmental vision with smart business practices,” explained Kent Epperson, Director of SBCAG Traffic Solutions. “Green Award winners are able to demonstrate that what makes good environmental sense also makes good business sense. Fiscal conservation and environmental conservation actually go hand in hand.”
For the first time in the Green Awards’ history, the Consortium elected to open the awards program to public schools. “We felt public schools should be included in the program because of their broad-reaching impact on our communities,” said Frances Gilliland, Air Quality Specialist with Consortium member Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District. “When a school demonstrates sound environmental business practices, it not only serves as an environmental role model for other schools, but it also inspires the students and their parents.”
The other consortium members are the Community Environmental Council, Santa Barbara County Public Works Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division, and Santa Barbara County Water Agency.
The 2004 Green Award winners represent a range of businesses, organizations and schools, and their efforts to protect our environment include a wide range of activities. Honored this year with Green Awards are:
Housing & Residential Services, University of California – Santa Barbara
Great White Dental Lab (Santa Maria)
Monte Vista School – Hope School District (Santa Barbara)
Kanaloa Seafood (Santa Barbara)
The Green
Award recognizes companies and organizations for voluntary
activities, above and beyond their primary missions that result
in cleaner air or water, less waste, less traffic, conservation
of energy and natural resources, or reduced use of hazardous
materials. The awards are an annual highlight of Pollution
Prevention Week, celebrated nationally during the week of
September 20 - 26. Winners were honored at a special awards
luncheon on September 24. Learn more about
the 2004 Green Award winners.
| October 6 | South Coast Subregional Planning Committee |
2:00 PM MTD Conference Room 550 Olive St. Santa Barbara |
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| October 7 | Technical Transportation Advisory Committee |
TTAC |
9:00 AM Council Chambers 140 West Hwy 246 Buellton |
| October 21 | SBCAG Board |
SBCAG BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
8:30 AM |
All meetings are open to the public. Individuals needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact SBCAG at least three work days prior to the scheduled meeting. Various other meetings, workshops, and public hearings are held periodically. For meeting locations, agendas or questions, call SBCAG at (805) 961-8900 or visit www.sbcag.org
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SBCAG welcomes two new employees
Karin Hodin recently joined SBCAG as a Transportation Planner II. She will be coordinating the call box program, tracking and amending the STIP, and providing assistance on FTIP and 2006 RTIP preparation and Measure D outreach and publicity, among other projects. Karin is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and has a degree in Environmental Planning and Management with an Urban Planning emphasis from the University of California at Davis. Karin brings over eighteen years of professional transportation, city and county planning experience to this position. She was recently with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority where she was a Transportation Planning Manager working on state and local roadway project coordination and implementation, and two major corridor studies. Karin previously worked on the MTA Red Line subway’s alternatives analysis, route selection and station planning components. She also has considerable comprehensive planning and citizen participation experience and is looking forward to contributing to SBCAG’s many challenging projects. Karin is married to a local planner, James, who is also a volunteer with local civic organizations. As County residents, both enjoy outdoor recreational activities, especially a recent sea kayaking trip at Santa Cruz Island.
Jonathan Whitt has joined Traffic Solutions as Graphic Designer/Marketing Coordinator. Jonathan and his wife, Amy, moved to Santa Barbara recently from Houston. Jonathan spent 10 years living and traveling in Latin America as a child, and as a result is not only fluent in Spanish but well versed in Mexican culture. He graduated from West Texas A&M University with a BA in Mass Communication/Broadcasting and is interested in music and filmmaking. |
PROGRAM UPDATES
BICYCLE SAFETY TRAINING
Join our certified bicycle safety trainers and learn the basics of bicycling for transportation. Bicycle Safety Training classes are provided to the community free of charge. Contact Erika Lindemann for more information about how you can enroll: elindemann@sbcag.org
VANPOOL OPPORTUNITIES
A new van is starting in September for commuters between Santa Maria/Orcutt and downtown Santa Barbara, working a 7:30 am to 5:00 pm schedule. More information is available is available on the Traffic Solutions website vanpool page.
There
is a part-time vacancy on a vanpool commuting between Ventura and the
Cottage Hospital area of Santa Barbara. For more information email
Ron Lafrican.
GET A MAP
Send an
email with your name and address to
info@trafficsolutions.info
to get a Santa Barbara County Bike map or Transit map mailed to you,
please specify how many you would like.
FORMS