Santa Barbara Council backs Castillo Street undercrossing grant application, tables larger Highway 101 overcrossing

The Santa Barbara City Council on May 12 directed staff to apply for an Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant for a Castillo Street bicycle and pedestrian undercrossing while tabling a more ambitious Highway 101 pedestrian/cyclist overcrossing concept that staff estimated would cost about $40 million.

Public works Director Brian Deore and Supervising Transportation Planner Jessica Grant briefed council on two projects staff proposed for the state ATP cycle: (A) an overcrossing that would connect the east side neighborhood near Canada Avenue with the waterfront and land near Dwight Murphy Park and the Santa Barbara Zoo, and (B) improvements to the Castillo Street undercrossing and adjacent raised bike lanes that would close a local safety gap. Grant said the overcrossing is a long-standing plan and that staff used a planning-phase estimate of roughly $40 million and a required 1% match of $400,000 for grant scoring.

"You have to match based upon the total project cost," Grant said. "So that's where the $400,000 comes from." She also warned that construction cost volatility could raise any later funding need well beyond initial estimates.

After extensive public and council questioning about alignment, maintenance responsibility, climate resilience and parking at the zoo, council members expressed a mix of support and caution. Council Member Jordan moved to table the Highway 101 overcrossing and direct staff to return with additional outreach, zoo coordination and funding clarity before committing match funds; the motion also instructed staff to proceed with the Castillo undercrossing application. Council Member Freriedman seconded. The clerk recorded the motion as passing unanimously.

Council debate focused on several recurring concerns: whether Caltrans (referred to in testimony) would accept any structural maintenance responsibility; the proposed landing area suggestions on zoo property and Dwight Murphy Park and how a bridge landing could affect zoo parking and potential zoo workforce housing concepts; and the timing and source of local match dollars (staff said the match would not be required until FY28 or later if awarded). Deore told council the match would likely be funded from future Measure C allocations, but staff noted any construction-phase match would be addressed when construction funding is sought.

Council requested additional outreach meetings, stronger confirmation from the zoo about parking and potential co-location plans, and a clearer funding path for any higher match level. Staff said they would return to council before the ATP deadline with the requested materials so council could confirm whether to include the overcrossing application in the current cycle.

The action keeps the Castillo undercrossing application active while deferring the more costly overcrossing plan until outreach and financial questions are resolved.