San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path Construction Set to Begin in Goleta

Construction of the San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path will begin on December 15, 2025, to create a roughly three-mile corridor for pedestrians and cyclists, the City of Goleta announced.

The project ties into an existing segment between Armitos Avenue and Hollister Avenue in Old Town, which connects Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park, the community garden, and Armitos Park.

The extension will run from Calle Real to the existing Class I Atascadero Creek Bikeway, improving connections to Goleta Beach Park, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the City of Santa Barbara.

The project is part of the larger San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path effort; one segment of the overall project was completed in 2024.

The #CityofGoleta is starting construction on the San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path Project on Monday, Dec 15, 2025. The new path will create a direct walking/biking connection from Calle Real to Old Town Goleta, linking to the Atascadero Creek Bikeway, Goleta Beach, UCSB, and… pic.twitter.com/GvnrnIm1v7

— City of Goleta (@CityOfGoleta) December 11, 2025

What is the Project About?

The project will include a separate section for pedestrians and cyclists, away from the vehicle traffic. Additionally, it will have new directional signs, path gates, bollards, and upgraded stormwater systems. 

A pedestrian bridge over San Jose Creek will have approximately five-foot-wide lanes in each direction and will be built to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, the City said.

According to city officials, the project will make walking and biking easier and safer by improving connections across Goleta, effectively supporting the city’s long-term goals to expand active transportation.

Construction is slated to begin December 15 and is expected to continue through late 2026. Early work will focus on clearing vegetation (including the removal of 39 trees), site preparation, and utility investigations.

Crews will start near Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park and work north toward Calle Real. Construction will pause for the winter and resume in spring 2026.

The project construction is divided into two parts: the northern 0.5-mile segment from Calle Real to Armitos Avenue, and the southern one-mile segment from South Kellogg Avenue to the Atascadero Creek Bikeway.

Vegetation removal and tree work will be conducted under environmental permits from multiple agencies.

These include the California State Water Resources Control Board, the California Coastal Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Caltrans, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project is funded in part by approximately $15.29 million in Active Transportation Grant funding from the California Transportation Commission and $11.16 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.

As a condition of those grants, the City will contribute up to 20 percent of construction costs through development impact fees and potential future bond proceeds.