Public Workshop On 101/135 (North Broadway) Interchange Project

The City of Santa Maria invites the community to attend a public workshop to learn about  and provide input on the proposed Highway 101/State Route 135 (North Broadway)  Interchange Replacement Project, being developed in coordination with the California  Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Santa Barbara County Association of  Governments (SBCAG).  

Wednesday, November 12 
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. 
Santa Maria Public Library 
421 South McClelland Street 

Project Overview 

The City, Caltrans, and SBCAG are advancing the environmental review and preliminary  engineering for replacement of the existing US 101/SR 135 interchange. The project aims  to: 

• Improve traffic operations and overall safety; 
• Provide enhanced access to and from Highway 101; 
• Extend State Route 135 (North Broadway) east of Seward Drive; and • Reduce conflicts between vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. 

When completed, the new interchange will better connect future residential  neighborhoods east of Highway 101 with existing commercial and residential areas to the  west — creating a safer and more efficient transportation network for all users. 

Project Description 

The proposed project would replace the existing interchange with a modern, higher capacity design, including: 

• A new bridge structure over US 101; 
• Reconfigured on- and off-ramps designed to accommodate future traffic volumes;  and 
• Extension of Seward Drive northward to connect with SR 135.

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• A new park-and-ride/recreation access road is also planned east of the northbound US  101/SR 135 ramp intersection. 

Project Status 

The environmental document and preliminary engineering are currently underway. Two  interchange alternatives are being evaluated: 

• Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) 
• Partial Cloverleaf–Roundabout Interchange (Parclo-R) 

Environmental technical studies are in progress, with construction anticipated to begin in  2030. This project is funded in part by Measure A, the half-cent sales tax for regional transportation projects. 

Public Workshop Details 

This is an open-house-style workshop. Members of the public are encouraged to drop in  at any time between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. to: 

• View project exhibits and conceptual layouts; 
• Learn more about the proposed interchange alternatives; and 
• Ask questions and share feedback directly with representatives from the City of  Santa Maria Public Works Department, Caltrans, and members of the design  team. 

Public input is a vital part of the environmental process and helps ensure the project best  meets the needs of the Santa Maria community.