After a months-long closure, Santa Barbara County Public Works staff have built a temporary bridge to reconnect the Maria Ygnacio bike path under the U.S. 101 freeway in Goleta.
Hundreds of resident pedestrians and bicyclists rely on this route to get to where they’re going daily. But beginning in February, they would be stopped at a section between Calle Real and Lassen Drive by barriers and closure notices. This section’s prolonged closure led to passive-aggressive sticky notes posted on signs and complaints online.
The new, temporary bridge — which opened on Wednesday — crosses over a small section of Maria Ygnacio Creek and reunites the pathway with the U.S. 101 undercrossing after the section was closed on February 26 due to storm damage.
People who use the bike path were upset that their daily commutes were disrupted and that the county had not made any apparent progress to fix the path by late March.
“It’s terrible that it’s closed for so long,” said one resident, Ian Wildman. “My son and I bike it at least two to three times a week.”
Storm damage had undermined a section of the path near the U.S. 101 undercrossing, leading to the path’s closure with barriers installed to keep out foot and bike traffic. Travelers on the path were re-routed to Turnpike or Patterson Avenue.
The high-flowing creek continued to actively scour dirt beneath the structure, worsening the problem over time, according to County Public Works spokesperson Lael Wageneck.
He said that county crews were unable to work on the path during the rainy season due to its proximity to Maria Ygnacio Creek, which is a designated Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area. Steelhead trout — an endangered species with special protections — were also present in the pool beneath the undermined section, preventing any repairs from taking place.
“Even though it hasn’t rained in a while, work cannot begin until the creek is dry or dewatered,” Wageneck explained in March.
It was originally expected that the section would be closed through the summer, while county engineers worked on a plan to stabilize the undermined section of the path. But the loss of such a critical connection led to public outcry and county action. The Public Works Department began work on the bridge a few weeks ago, and first needed to test it to ensure it was safe for public use.
“The Public Works Department would like to thank the community for their patience during this process,” the department said in a statement. “Staff will continue to work on a permanent solution. Repair and stabilization work cannot begin until the creek is dry, which could occur in late summer.”
“The Maria Ygnacio Bike Path is fundamental to how so many of our community members stay connected, active, and safe,” said 2nd District Supervisor Laura Capps. “Thank you to neighbors who voiced your concerns to find a viable solution. I’m grateful to the county’s Public Works team for their swift and thoughtful action to restore access to a resource that so many depend on.”
Questions about the path closure can be emailed to PWMobility@countyofsb.org. For more information, visit https://www.countyofsb.org/4949/Maria-Ygnacio-Bike-Path
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