Bids to go out for Highway 154 projects

 

Beginning in April, revenues from Measure D taxes will fund roadway improvements to Highway 154 between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez. Bids for the projects, expected to cost close to $7 million, will be sought during January by the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments after a motion was approved 10-0 by board members on Dec. 20.

A major route between communities in Santa Barbara County, the road’s improvements will be the second phase of a plan to upgrade the highway. Phase one was finished in 1997 for a cost of $8.5 million.

 

The current projects include a passing lane to be added near the Highway 246 intersection; a right-turn lane for traffic turning onto Highway 246 southbound to Santa Barbara; a turnout for southbound traffic, located closer to Santa Barbara; and turn lanes at Vista Point, including a right-turn lane onto Paradise Road for northbound vehicles.

Fred Luna, council of governments program manager, said the entire project will be paid for with Measure D funds.

“The primary purpose of the project is to improve operations, with a secondary purpose of improving safety,” he added.

 

Bids are expected to be between $5.8 and $6.5 million. An additional $800,000 was set aside for other costs related to the projects at the staff’s recommendation. This includes $80,000 to be paid to the California Highway Patrol for extra patrols during construction.

County Supervisor Joe Centeno and other board members complained that part of the Measure D funds were to be used for the extra patrols. Board members were told they were legally required to hire a state agency to provide law enforcement because it is a state highway.

 

Centeno and Supervisor Salud Carbajal both observed that local funds could be used to complete the projects on a state highway, but the state could not use its funds to hire law enforcement.

“I’ve got some real issues here with the state,” Centeno said. “Here we are funding a state highway project entirely out of Measure D funds, and the state can’t even come up with funds for the Highway Patrol. It just seems to me that’s a little, tiny thing the state could help us with.”

Carbajal added, “Every time I turn around, the state is dipping into our resources.

I’m very upset with the state of California, but do think we need to move forward with this.”