Hwy 101 Lane & Train Update

Source: Caltrans

SBCAG and Caltrans are making excellent progress on the integrated Lane & Train solutions to address freeway congestion. Projects for adding a peak-period carpool lane (a 3rd lane in each direction) to Highway 101 are moving ahead as scheduled, and the peak-hour train service has passed its first full-year service milestone.

The following Highway 101 corridor update provides a look at current construction in Carpinteria, status on the freeway improvements to add third lanes from Carpinteria up to the Sheffield Drive interchange, plans for funding Highway 101: Montecito & Santa Barbara, a peak-hour rail update, and an overall project summary.



Hwy 101: Linden and Casitas Pass (Phase 3)

This is the last full year of construction for the Hwy 101: Linden and Casitas Pass project. New bridges (10 feet higher than the old bridges to improve water flow for large storms) are complete over Carpinteria Creek. New northbound Highway 101 on and off-ramps at Casitas Pass Road and an improved bikeway along Carpinteria Creek were opened in 2018. 

Over the next year, crews will finish the new freeway overcrossings at Casitas Pass Road and Linden Avenue. In addition to adding vehicular lanes, the overcrossings will have new sidewalks and bike lanes as well as signalized intersections, street trees, and lighting on each side of the new bridges (see rendering above). 

This project provides significant roadway improvements for Carpinterians and prepares the area for the upcoming Hwy 101: Carpinteria project that will add a third lane in each direction on Highway 101 in Carpinteria. Project information is available online HERE.



Hwy 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara (Phase 4)

The Hwy 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project will add a third lane in each direction to Highway 101, update ramps and bridges, and improve safety features between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. The project is planned in five areas to speed up progress and to qualify for state and federal funding.  

In January 2019, Caltrans and SBCAG selected Granite Construction to serve as the Construction Management/General Contracting partner for the overall project. In this role, Granite is working with the teams designing the Highway 101 improvements to help identify ways to streamline the pre-construction processes and construction. 



Hwy 101: Carpinteria (Phase 4A)

The Carpinteria Planning Commission approved the Coastal Development Permit for Hwy 101: Carpinteria in April 2019. The main components for Hwy 101: Carpinteria are shown on the map below. Construction will begin by the summer of 2020 and run through 2023. 

Hwy 101: Padaro & Summerland (Phases 4B & C)

Concept reviews are underway with the South County Board of Architectural Review and the Montecito Board of Architectural Review as part of the County of Santa Barbara’s coastal permitting process for Highway 101: Padaro & Summerland (see map below)

Funding Update

Highway 101: Carpinteria, Padaro, & Summerland are fully funded. SBCAG and Caltrans will be applying to the California Transportation Commission for Senate Bill 1 (SB1) funding for Highway 101: Montecito & Santa Barbara. Funding applications will be submitted in early 2020 and the list of projects funded will be announced by June 2020.



The timeline below shows how project development, funding, construction, and landscaping are planned for the next three years.

Peak-hour Rail

Pacific Surfliner peak-hour rail service between Ventura County and Carpinteria/Santa Barbara/Goleta marked its one-year milestone in April 2019. A joint effort of SBCAG, the California State Transportation Agency, and the Pacific Surfliner Joint Powers Agency (LOSSAN), the train service offers an alternative to Highway 101 and has been popular with commuters whose schedules fit the early morning and afternoon train schedules.



Traffic Solutions, a division of SBCAG, launched a survey that is open to all commuters traveling from Ventura County and Carpinteria to worksites in the south coast, whether or not they use the train. Please take a few minutes to take the survey or learn more HERE.

In 2006, SBCAG and Caltrans approved 101 in Motion that was developed with local agencies, including the City of Santa Barbara, the County of Santa Barbara, and the City of Carpinteria. 101 in Motion determined that a long-term congestion relief strategy required a “Lane and a Train” solution – new carpool lanes on Highway 101 and new commuter rail service. The pie chart below shows that 82% of the congestion relief strategy is made of new carpool lanes (64%) and the commuter train (18%). The remaining strategies lie in fixing freeway operations with items like ramp improvements and reducing transportation demand at peak periods through things like telecommuting or flexible work hours.

Please visit the Lane & Train Solutions webpage for more information, tickets, and train schedules.



Highway 101: Santa Barbara to Mussel Shoals 
The Highway 101: Santa Barbara to Mussel Shoals project includes the widening of Highway 101 to three lanes in each direction. Eight of the 16 miles in this area have been widened.  There are 4 project phases (see map below). Phase 4 is in development, Phase 3 is in construction, and Phases 1 and 2 are complete. 

Highway 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara (Phase 4)
Phase 4 has five segments (A – E) to speed up implementation and the opportunity to leverage state funding. See map above.

Phase 4 Key Project Components (all are part of a “fix it once” approach)

• 10 miles of peak-hour carpool lanes northbound & southbound
• 2 new interchanges: Cabrillo Boulevard & Sheffield Drive
• 7 creek bridges with water flow improvements
• On and off-ramp improvements
• Sound-attenuating pavement
• Safety improvements

Please visit the Phase 4 webpage to see maps of each area.



Please visit www.SBROADS.com to see maps and information on all of the projects that make up the Highway 101: Santa Barbara to Mussel Shoals area.  If you have specific questions, please email the project team at info@sbroads.com.