Caltrans 101 HOV Project Environmental Document Upheld in Court

US 101 HOV LANES SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT UPHELD BY SANTA BARBARA SUPERIOR COURT

Source: Caltrans

Caltrans and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) will move forward on the South Coast 101 HOV Lanes Project following a favorable ruling from the Santa Barbara Superior Court this morning.

The court upheld a Revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which focused specifically on the topic of intersection analysis. It serves as a revision to the previously approved August 2014 Final EIR. The ruling by Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderle removes the final remaining hurdle to the South Coast 101 HOV Lanes Project.

Marjie Kirn, SBCAG’s Executive Director, “This is a great day for progress on SBCAG and Caltrans’ 101 HOV Lanes Project. Judge Anderle’s ruling removes the last remaining legal challenge to the 101 HOV project. In the last month we’ve made tremendous progress on SBCAG’s promised “lane & train” solution to congestion on US 101. In March, SBCAG and Caltrans received $226 million for the HOV project from the California Transportation Commission, in April, SBCAG started new peak hour rail service connecting Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and today the court’s decision resolves all the legal challenges to the project. SBCAG’s “lane and train” solution is making progress as promised,” said Marjie Kirn, Executive Director of SBCAG.

The project proposes to add new high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in each direction of U.S. Highway 101 between Bailard Avenue in the City of Carpinteria and Sycamore Creek

(north of Salinas Street) in the City of Santa Barbara. The project would also reconstruct two interchanges at Sheffield Drive and Cabrillo Boulevard/Hot Springs Road, including

replacing the left-side ramps with new right-side ones.

“I am pleased this important upgrade of US 101 will move forward allowing increased mobility for thousands of motorists on the south coast. It is great news for travelers that construction on this project is now on the horizon,” said Caltrans Acting District Director Richard Rosales.

Construction on this $350 million project is scheduled to begin construction in late 2019.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

For more information on this project and for traffic updates on other Caltrans projects in Santa Barbara County, residents may call the District 5 Public Affairs Unit at (805) 549-3237 visit our website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/release.htm#sb.