The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments is providing notice of its intention to amend Fast Forward 2040, the Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP-SCS).  The purpose of this amendment is to add two separate projects to the RTP-SCS.

Project 1:  Santa Monica Road / Via Real Intersection Improvements.  Amendment #1 adds this project to Fast Forward 2040 as a programmed project.  All project phases are included – environmental, preliminary engineering, design, right of way, and construction.  This intersection includes US 101 ramp termini and is located in the City of Carpinteria.  Project cost estimates are $2.69 million for the environmental and design aspects, and $3.61 million for construction.  The funding for this project comes from SB 1 Local Partnership Program Formula and SB 1 Congested Corridors, neither of which were considered during the development of Fast Forward 2040.

Project 2:  State Street Undercrossing Sidewalk and Bike Lane Improvements.  Amendment #1 adds this project to Fast Forward 2040 as an illustrative project.  This project is located in the City of Santa Barbara, on State Street between Gutierrez Street and Yanonali Street.  This project is estimated to cost $5.48 million and is currently unfunded.  The City of Santa Barbara will seek State grant funding to advance the project.
 
SBCAG is holding a hearing to receive public comment on this amendment.

The hearing will be held:
Date:      Thursday, June 21, 2018
Time:      10:00 AM
Place:     Board of Supervisors Hearing Room
                105 E. Anapamu St., 4th Floor
                Santa Barbara, CA

Remote testimony is also available at the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria, CA. If you cannot attend the hearing, you may still submit written comments up until Friday, June 22, 2018.  You may e-mail them to comment@sbcag.org  or mail them to SBCAG at 260 North San Antonio Road, Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93110.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact SBCAG at least three working days prior to the meeting at (805) 961-8900.  For more information, call SBCAG at 961-8900.  Favor de llamar a SBCAG al 961-8900, para más información del reunion.

The California Transportation Commission approved $226 million in SB 1 state gas tax funding for the U.S. 101 HOV Widening Project in south Santa Barbara County at its meeting last Wednesday in Orange County.
 
Marjie Kirn, SBCAG Executive Director, said “Thanks to new transportation money from the SB1 state gas tax signed into law by Governor Brown last year, the California Transportation Commission now has funding available to accelerate construction of the 101 HOV Widening Project. We are very excited to be able continue the forward momentum from the bridge construction work currently underway in Carpinteria. In addition to the CTC funding allocation this week, we are very hopeful the Commission will also look favorably on our pending $183 million state grant funding request. If successful, we will have the funding necessary to complete the next three segments of the 101 widening from Carpinteria north through the Sheffield interchange in Montecito.”
 
Santa Barbara County voters approved Measure A in 2008 to raise the local sales tax to fund regional transportation projects. Local Measure A funds are combined with additional state and federal funding to fully fund highway projects like the 101 HOV Widening in south Santa Barbara County. Measure A provides $140 million in locally controlled transportation funding that, combined with additional state or federal funding, will fund the remaining ten mile segment of the 101 between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria.
 
Joan Hartmann, Santa Barbara County Supervisor and SBCAG Board Chair, said “ Santa Barbara County taxpayers voted to use local Measure A transportation sales tax funds to attract additional state funding for SBCAG’s highest regional transportation priority – constructing new peak hour carpool lanes on the 101 freeway. With the passage of the SB1 new state gas tax, the California Transportation Commission can now bring critically needed state transportation funding to partner with SBCAG & Caltrans to keep the 101 HOV project on track.”
 
The California Transportation Commission is expected to make an allocation decision on SBCAG’s additional $183 million SB 1 funded transportation grant application at its May 2018 meeting. If this grant application is successful, the next three segments of the 101 HOV Project, from Bailard Avenue in Carpinteria to past the Sheffield Interchange in Montecito, can begin construction in late 2019.