City Lands $6.6 Million in Construction Grants

Santa Barbara raked in $6.6 million in grants from the California Transportation Commission for three separate construction projects. The lion’s share ​— ​$4.7 million — will go toward widening the sidewalks and bike lanes along the Highway 101/State Street undercrossing. The pedestrian crossing distance at State Street and Gutierrez Street will also be shortened. Another $1.5 million will create safer pedestrian crossings along downtown De la Vina Street, a new bike lane between Carrillo and Haley streets, and a connecting bike lane on Haley between De la Vina and Chapala. The remaining grant money will pay for community outreach and preliminary engineering to identify improved access points from the lower Eastside to East Beach across Highway 101.