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GOLETA, CA, May 6, 2025 – This week, the City hired Contractor for Project Connect is working during the day and overnight in preparation for the next phase of construction.
Beginning Friday, May 9, a new traffic alignment will go into effect on Hollister Avenue at Highway 217 as Project Connect construction transitions from the north side to the south side of the Hollister Avenue Bridge.
This realignment will impact access to and from southbound Highway 217:
- Left turns from southbound Highway 217 to eastbound Hollister Avenue will be prohibited.
- Left turns from westbound Hollister Avenue to southbound Highway 217 will also be prohibited.
Please use the following detours to travel through the construction zone safely. Vehicles and pedestrians share the road, drive with caution.
Click here to view the following detours on an interactive map.
Detour to southbound Highway 217 from Ward Drive
- Turn right from Ward Drive to eastbound Hollister Avenue.
- Turn left to S. Patterson Avenue.
- Turn left onto Highway 217. Keep left.
- Merge onto southbound Highway 217.
Detour Westbound Hollister Ave. to southbound Highway 217
- Westbound Hollister Avenue, turn left at S. Fairview Avenue.
- Turn right at Fowler Road.
- Turn left at Moffett Place.
- Turn left onto UCSB southbound Highway 217 onramp.
The traffic detours will remain until the end of May 2025, when another traffic shift will be in place. Details will be shared at http://www.CityofGoleta.org/ProjectConnect.
Project Connect Update
Construction on Project Connect began in March 2024. Since then, the contractor has completed the northern half of the Hollister Avenue Bridge, installed a soil-nail wall at the Highway 217 off-ramp, and completed the realignment of Dearborn Place. Additional progress includes installation of drainage infrastructure and temporary traffic signals, as well as substantial vegetation removal and grading along the Ekwill Street Extension.
Upon completion, this project will enhance pedestrian access and safety, improve road conditions, and build critical linkage throughout Goleta while increasing stormwater flow capacity in San Jose Creek under Hollister Bridge.
The large-scale construction project includes the Ekwill Street & Fowler Road Extensions, Hollister Avenue Bridge Replacement Project, two new roundabouts on Hollister Avenue at the Highway 217 interchange, the Hollister Avenue Interim Striping Project, and San Jose Creek flood control capacity improvements. Project completion is anticipated in Spring 2027 when drivers and pedestrians will have increased east-west access across Old Town Goleta.
The City understands that projects such as this can be inconvenient, and we appreciate your patience.
For additional information or questions, please contact us via email (Connect@CityofGoleta.org) or phone (805-690-5116) or visit the website project page at http://www.CityofGoleta.org/ProjectConnect.
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