Transportation Planning
Grant Secured to Study the State Route 135 (Broadway) Corridor
November 24, 2025
State awards $160,000 planning grant to study safety and mobility improvements on State Route 135 from Clark Avenue in Orcutt to Highway 101 in Santa Maria.
A $160,000 state grant will help local transportation agencies begin an 18-month study of safety, congestion, and mobility along State Route 135 (also known as Broadway) between Orcutt and Santa Maria.
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) awarded the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) and the City of Santa Maria the Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant as part of a statewide investment of $26.5 million to help communities plan smarter, safer transportation projects.
“State Route 135 links two growing communities, but the highway looks and behaves very differently as it moves between them—it begins as an expressway, then becomes a high-speed arterial, and eventually narrows into a slower city street with signals, cross traffic, and business access,” said Mike Becker, director of planning for SBCAG. “Those rapid transitions create real safety and mobility challenges. This study allows us to work with the community to understand the corridor’s long-term needs.”
The corridor study will evaluate current and future needs related to:
- Economic Vitality: Ensuring people and goods can move reliably between Orcutt and Santa Maria.
- Safety: Identifying improvements that make the corridor safer for all road users.
- Multimodal access: Understanding how people travel by car, bike, bus, or on foot and what infrastructure is needed to support each mode.
- Climate considerations: Exploring improvements that support state climate goals while meeting local needs.
SBCAG, with support from the City of Santa Maria, will lead the planning effort. Public engagement is expected to begin in summer 2026, and the study is to conclude by the end of 2027. Public workshops and a project website will offer residents and businesses opportunities to share their experiences and stay informed.
“We’re thankful for this award and eager to hear from the people who use this corridor every day,” said Marjie KIRN, executive director for SBCAG. “Their experiences and ideas will guide this study and help identify improvements that support the community well into the future.”
SBCAG and the City of Santa Maria will match the $160,000 state grant with $170,000 in local funds, bringing the total study cost to $330,000. SBCAG plans to release a request for proposals in the coming weeks, with a consultant agreement expected to be considered by the Board of Directors by February 2026.
About the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant
Caltrans awards transportation planning grants each year through a competitive process to fund local and regional multimodal transportation and land use planning projects. These grants assist in achieving the Caltrans Mission and Grant Program Objectives. Applications are evaluated based on how projects advance state transportation and climate goals by identifying and addressing statewide, interregional or regional transportation deficiencies on the highway system. The Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant program has awarded more than $292 million to 750 projects since 2015.
Nearly $3 million of funds awarded this year come from one-time state and federal sources made possible by Governor Gavin Newsom’s $15 billion clean transportation package — part of the 2022-23 budget to further the state’s ambitious climate goals. Another $12.4 million comes from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually that is shared equally between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.