Overcrossing concept for Highway 101 remains unfunded; council to consider resubmission and grant timing

Jessica Grant provided an update on the Highway 101 pedestrian/cyclist overcrossing concept and its funding status, saying the overcrossing remains unfunded and the city is evaluating next steps.

Grant said the project team applied to the state's Active Transportation Program in 2024 and scored well, but cycle 7 of the program saw large budget cuts and only 13 cities statewide received funding. "The overcrossing remains unfunded at this time," she said, noting the item went before the city council and was tabled to the June 2 council meeting for further consideration.

The overcrossing described in the planning effort is conceptual and not a final design, Grant emphasized. The proposed span would cross Highway 101 and the railroad right-of-way, with supports landing on City of Santa Barbara property currently leased by the Santa Barbara Zoo and a landing at the base of Dwight Murphy Park.

If built, the bridge would connect the Lower East Side to the waterfront, feeding onto Nino Drive and the city's separated beachway to provide access to Santa Barbara City College and other waterfront destinations. The presenter said the east-side landing would be near Pitos and Canada Street to link into recently completed low-vehicle-volume bike-friendly streets such as Alisos.

Grant noted the Active Transportation Program deadline is June 22, 2026 and that the program runs every two years; if the city does not submit this cycle the project could be considered in future cycles. She encouraged community members to contact the mayor and council with feedback before council revisits the item.

On documentation and outreach, Grant referred listeners to the project webpage and the LECC for planning materials, previous community engagement records and technical analyses completed during the 2021–2024 study period.