Santa Barbara committee hears final design for Milpas Street crosswalk, sidewalk and tree changes

The Transportation Circulation Committee on April 24 received a project update on the Milpas Street Crosswalk Safety and Sidewalk Widening Project, which aims to improve pedestrian crossings, add lighting and widen sidewalks along the corridor between Canon Perdido Street and Quinteto Street.

The update, presented by Michelle Bedard and Jessica Grant of the city’s transportation team, said the project combines two funding streams — a 2023 state Active Transportation Program grant covering intersection-focused safety improvements and a city streets-maintenance component for midblock pavement and sidewalk repairs. “The recommendation is that the Transportation Circulation Committee receive an update on the Milpa Street crosswalk safety and sidewalk widening project,” Bedard told the committee.

Committee members were shown detailed designs for intersection improvements — high-visibility crosswalks, added side-street lighting, widened corner sidewalks and green conflict striping to guide cyclists through intersections — and a proposed new traffic signal at Milpas and Yanonali Street. Board members were also shown cross-sections illustrating wider corner sidewalks at Haley and Dakota streets and a bus-stop widening at Canon Perdido to improve transit access and boarding.

The team described a methodical tree evaluation performed with the parks and forestry staff, a consultant arborist and an Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility specialist. The consultant team counted 95 existing street trees within the project corridor and determined that 13 would be removed; Bedard said eight removals are for safety and accessibility reasons tied to minimum ADA clearances (a minimum 36-inch accessible path and 80-inch vertical clearance) and five removals are within proposed intersection work zones. The Parks and Recreation Commission approved the removals and conditioned approval on planting a minimum of 30 new trees; staff reported identifying 37 potential replanting locations pending utility and right-of-way checks.

On materials and durability, traffic engineer Derek Bailey told the committee that current street markings use thermoplastic rather than paint, and that a grind-and-overlay pavement treatment can last “30 to 40 years if it has intermediate slurry seal type treatments.” He added that green conflict-striping longevity depends on traffic turning movements and the marking material.

Public outreach materials shown to the committee summarized a fall 2024 webinar, an in-person meeting and a month-long online survey. Respondents rated additional intersection lighting, enhanced pedestrian crossings and new tree plantings as the project features they liked most; about 65% of survey respondents preferred larger curb realignments to create room for planters and trees even if that meant reducing on-street parking.

Staff said the project is in final design, that the city plans to remove the eight ficus trees identified as safety hazards before planting replacements, and that construction is anticipated in 2027, with additional community meetings focused on construction staging and impacts. A student who attended asked whether construction would occur in short segments because Milpas is a school route; staff said work would be staged by intersection legs and coordinated with schools and transit to avoid full corridor closures.

Committee members praised the corridor focus and asked staff to continue exploring options to extend segregated bike facilities on parallel routes. Several members urged the city to prioritize tree plantings near locations where removals create canopy gaps. The committee received the update; no formal vote on the project was held at the meeting.

Ending: Staff will return with further community-engagement plans and construction-stage details; final design and permitting work continues ahead of an anticipated 2027 construction start.