Goleta’s San Jose Creek Bridge Set for Major Replacement Project

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will replace the San Jose Creek Bridge along State Route 217 in Goleta, the agency announced on social media on October 27, 2025. 

The work will require full overnight closures between Hollister Avenue and Sandspit Road on October 28, 2025, and October 30, 2025, from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. 

The road closures will allow for the installation of precast girders for the new bridge, the City of Goleta said in a statement. The bicycle lane will remain open during the overnight closures. 

A project to replace the San Jose Creek Bridge on State Route 217 will result in a full overnight closure between Hollister Avenue and Sandspit Road on Tuesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 30 from 10 pm until 6 am. Detour signs will be posted during this work.@CaltransHQ pic.twitter.com/Bbcr1hcmPc

— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) October 27, 2025

The eastbound SR 217 on-ramp at Sandspit Road will be closed for the entire duration of the project. Travelers exiting Santa Barbara Airport can take Fairview Avenue and Hollister Avenue to reach US 101. 

Electronic message boards have been installed to assist airport visitors, the city added.  

New Bridge to Address Structural Deficiencies

The existing northbound and southbound San Jose Creek bridges have been showing signs of deterioration, Caltrans said on its website. Located at post mile 21.6, the bridges have been found to contain reactive aggregate in the superstructure concrete, which may compromise their structural integrity. 

Structural deficiencies have also been identified at the bridges. 

The two aging bridges will be replaced by a single structure built at the same location. The new bridge will meet the current Caltrans standards for highway design, seismic safety, and hydraulic performance. 

Once complete, the new bridge will ensure the function and reliability of connectivity in California’s transportation system, Caltrans noted. 

Project Funding and Planning

The new bridge is being funded through the 2018 State Highway Operation and Protection Program. The project’s total construction cost is estimated at $26 million, Caltrans said. 

The project was included in the Santa Barbara Association of Governments’ approved 2019 Federal Transportation Improvement Program, under the State Highway Operation and Protection Program Grouped Project Listing – Bridge Rehabilitation and Reconstruction.

The project is based on recommendations detailed in the Structure Replacement and Improvement Needs Report, Bridge Maintenance Strategy Fact Sheet, and Bridge Inspection Reports, Caltrans added. 

The contractor for the project is MCM Construction Inc. of North Highlands. The project is scheduled to be completed in spring 2026. 

Project Timeline

• Environmental document completed on October 8, 2020.
• Right-of-way acquisition completed on February 14, 2022.
• Design completed on June 28, 2022.
• Advertising completed on September 19, 2022. 
• Construction started on April 4, 2023.
• Construction is expected to be completed on July 3, 2026.