Anonymous
Source: City of Santa Barbara
The Lower Milpas Sidewalk Project improves neighborhood livability by addressing pedestrian and traffic safety issues and barriers to walking for both residents and our vital business and visitor communities. The project benefits the East Beach and Eastside neighborhoods and creates a safe, predictable path of travel to nearby schools, the Waterfront, hotels, Downtown, the Zoo, and Dwight Murphy Field.
The improvements include new sidewalks, access ramps, pedestrian lighting, landscaping, and intersection signal modifications along the east side of Milpas and Calle Puerto Vallarta. Safety improvements at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing at Milpas Street were also constructed.
This project was one of several infrastructure projects in the Eastside Neighborhood Transportation Management Plan. The project fulfills elements of the City’s adopted Pedestrian Master Plan and Bicycle Master Plan, encouraging more people to walk and ride bicycles.
Many community members and organizations participated in the development of this project. The Franklin Neighborhood Center Advisory Committee and the Neighborhood Advisory Council were early advocates for the project. Outside agency project partners included the Santa Barbara Unified School District, COAST, Caltrans, California Transportation Commission, SBCAG, Tri-County Produce, and MTD.
The total project cost was $1.6 million, with $1.1 million provided by an Active Transportation Program grant from the State. This project is one of many made possible by the $31 million the City has been awarded for pedestrian and bicycle projects under this program.
Thank you to our partners and especially our residents for your support of this important infrastructure project.
