Santa Ynez SR-246 Beautification Project Breaks Ground

By the edhat staff

Caltrans broke ground on the Chumash Museum Highway Beautification Project on SR-246 near Santa Ynez on Thursday morning.

Caltrans District 5 Director Tim Gubbins, Santa Ynez Bank of Chumash Indians Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn, State Senator Monique Limon, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann, and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Principal Michael Niehoff were in attendance on the site of the future Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center.

The $1.3 million project will improve a half-mile section of the state route with the installation of artistic fencing, native plant landscaping, upgraded irrigation using recycled water, decorative crosswalks, and better directional signage.

This is the first of 12 state beautification projects along the Central Coast as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s $1.1 billion Clean California initiative. Approximately $311 million of the total initiative will go towards 126 beautification projects along the state highway system – with 98 percent of the projects benefiting historically underserved or excluded communities. aimed at cleaning up state roadways and providing jobs. 

Photo: Caltrans