Thousand Steps Reopens Following Safety Repairs and Improvements
By the City of Santa Barbara
Thousand Steps, a historic beach access stairway in the Mesa neighborhood, has reopened after a six-month closure. During that time, the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department made significant safety repairs and improvements to the popular landmark, which serves as one of three public beach access stairways in the City.
Thousand Steps, originally called Camino a Mar, was built by the City almost 100 years ago in 1925. Over time, harsh coastal conditions and regular use eroded the lowest stairs, making them difficult and dangerous to use.
Work at Thousand Steps required careful timing with tides and coastal conditions and strict adherence to coastal permitting requirements to protect sensitive marine habitats.
Repairs and improvements thus far include:
• Demolition and reconstruction of the lower 24 steps and installation of seven additional steps, to provide a safer and more accessible path during seasonal changes to sand level.
• Installation of a continuous handrail extending from the street level to the beach.
• Construction of a new concrete guardrail at the main landing mid-stairway.
• Drainage improvements to allow for groundwater capture to reduce algae growth and slippery stair treads.
• Installation of a bicycle rack on top of the bluff.
A brief closure for additional work is expected in Fall 2022 or Winter 2023, when conditions allow, to add an apron at the beach level to protect the stairs for years to come. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be announced by the City Parks and Recreation Department at a later date.
About the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department proudly maintains a wide range of parks, facilities, and programs designed to serve the community's needs.
Our mission is to:
• Provide clean and safe parks, beaches, and recreation facilities,
• Enhance Santa Barbara's beauty,
• Promote stewardship of resources,
• Provide quality recreation and cultural experiences and community services, and
• Improve the quality of life for Santa Barbara residents.
To learn more about the Parks and Recreation Department, please visit the City of Santa Barbara website at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec, or follow @sbparksandrec on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Please reach out to us with questions or suggestions any time at ParksAndRec@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or (805) 564-5418.
21 Comments
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Sep 29, 2022 04:31 PMThank you!
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Sep 29, 2022 04:52 PMThat’s a fat (ugly) staircase for that spot - did they run an ABR review on that? The old setup looked good.
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Sep 29, 2022 06:20 PM"Good" is a very generous description of the old setup that was, quite literally, falling apart!
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Sep 30, 2022 09:18 AMYes, there was ABR and whatnot. In fact, the process was made easier because the design is close to identical with what it was originally, with the hand-rail being the new piece.
The pillars were in the original, too, but had eroded slightly over time with exposed rebar and missing chunks of concrete.
Yes, they were still usable, but the condition was poor, and it's good we addressed it. You can't wait for a critical failure and then be chasing rather the getting out front.
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Sep 29, 2022 05:07 PMTsk tsk... someone didn't remove the EXIF data from the picture.... And I'm surprised that Edhat's photo uploader doesn't scrub that data either....
Apple iPhone 12 Pro | 1.54mm F2.4 1/813 ISO25 | 2022:09:29 08:19:35 | Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384
34°23'44.5"N 119°42'48.4"W
Good to know in case I decide to upload something.
Steps look pretty cool, though I agree with Basic; new steps are kinda fugly....
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Sep 29, 2022 05:15 PMAnd this matters in case the photographer is implicated in a murder and needs proof of their whereabouts at an exact time and location?
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Sep 29, 2022 06:23 PMIt doesn't matter in this case but I'm taking mental note. It's good housekeeping to scrub EXIF data, there are situations where location data could be problematic. I also think X01660 could have just emailed Ed to let them know lol
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Sep 29, 2022 06:37 PMWay back, there was EXIF data in the March Edness images, which often gave clues even if they didn't have geo data.
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Oct 02, 2022 11:21 PMIt matters because such a low number of digital users know how their user information is shared. That is on them.
But it's also good to keep sharing what they don't know about the use of digital info.
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Sep 29, 2022 06:31 PMComplain about how the steps look? They are STEPS to the beach! Did you expect spanish tiles? Its not your front door.
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Sep 29, 2022 06:58 PMI’ll respond to both criticizers. First, I’ve walked the pre-existing steps a lot, up until very recently. They were not EVEN CLOSE to falling apart. Completely usable, reliable, functional.
And now we spent a ton of taxpayer money to build custom concrete columns that are completely overkill for a beach. But hey, if you’re looking to board a cruise ship…
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Sep 30, 2022 08:25 AMI've used the steps to dive from the late 90s and there's a few times a year (normally in winter after a big rain event and storm) where so much sand is stripped away that the bottom step is 3 to 4 feet above the beach! I've had to lend a hand more than a few times to people struggling to get up or down on or off the beach. So for those few days a year the new steps will increase accessibility and safety (I have slipped on the old goo with all my dive gear on - but in my embarrassment I don't talk about it) :)
I'm curious about the extended handrail onto the sand. When a large west swell mixes in with ripping west wind and a high tide, there will be a lot of kelp that will get wrapped around the bottom hand railing... If the same (looking) metal railing at Deveroux beach access is any indicator, the metal will warp and bend given the extreme weight of the kelp and force of the water, maybe a continual maintenance headache? Time will tell...
On a side note, I found this article on semi-recent Mesa history to be really informative:
https://terryryken.com/santa-barbara-area-information/the-mesa-history/
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Sep 30, 2022 08:25 AMI like all of your comment and AGREE Basic
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Sep 29, 2022 08:25 PMEXIF data wow big deal. Need alert
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Sep 29, 2022 09:22 PMIn the winter after a storm, it could be a bit of a drop on the last stair for the less nimble. But I kind of liked them. They looked like history and it also took me back to how beach access used to be bushwhacking in ravines and down bluffs.
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Sep 30, 2022 07:37 AMthey took away the charm of the old steps and made it un-fun....awesome
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Sep 30, 2022 12:34 PMWhat was FUN about the old steps? Not sure I've ever heard someone describe steps as fun.
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Sep 30, 2022 09:13 AMThe metal hand rail that extends into the ocean will be eroded away in 3... 2... 1...
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Sep 30, 2022 11:22 AMI've been using those steps since 1964, and have watched them deteriorate since then. So I'm glad they have been fixed up. My only gripe is the positioning of the bike racks. They are behind the barrier, with no ramp to them. One would have to pick up their bike over two curbs to get to them. Obviously designed by a non-biker.
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Sep 30, 2022 05:58 PMIt’s a beach, access isn’t always a perfect step down to the sand at every entry point for everyone. You know what I mean?
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Oct 03, 2022 09:44 AMDear City, They look great and thank you very much for finishing them just before lobster season as this is a great opener dive site!