Will the railroad underpass be widened as part of the reconstruction of the Cabrillo/101 interchange? There was discussion of this years ago, but that has seemingly been ignored in the recent press releases. I’ll be curious to learn how they’re going to engineer the widening—by installing a temporary railroad bridge alongside the current one?—since I assume they won’t want to interrupt freight and passenger service. —D.
There is indeed a plan to widen Cabrillo Boulevard, under both Highway 101 and the Union Pacific Railroad bridge. The latter is a City of Santa Barbara project, and therefore separate from the Highway 101 work (in the Caltrans right of way), which is why it doesn’t get mentioned in the press releases.
It’s the second of three phases for the area. Phase 1 was the completed roundabout at Cabrillo and Los Patos Way; Phase 3 involves the removal of the railroad bridge near the start of the Los Patos Way off-ramp.
The city’s Public Works department recently updated the website about the widening of Cabrillo Boulevard, describing it thus:
{The project] will replace the narrow, existing Union Pacific Railroad Bridge with a new bridge spanning over a widened roadway with standard lane widths, shoulders, and pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Intersection operations will also be improved with a proposed dedicated right-turn lane on eastbound Cabrillo Boulevard onto the proposed southbound Highway 101 on-ramp. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027.
At least some of the space to widen Cabrillo Boulevard comes by shaving off part of the forthcoming development of 1 Hot Springs Road, the area to the right in the above rendering. Anyone who has walked or ridden a bike along that part of Cabrillo will understand what an improvement this will be. Here’s a rendering of what the area under the 101 bridges will look like.
As for railroad service, the city of Santa Barbara will build a temporary railroad bridge (called a shoofly) to handle train traffic while the permanent bridge is under construction.
Is there a question you’d like investigated? Email [email protected] or text 917-209-6473.
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Previous Burning Questions:
••• Was there a Fisherman Inn in downtown Santa Barbara?
••• What are those old buildings at the corner of Castillo and Montecito streets?
••• What’s this scaffold structure on Las Positas Road?
••• Why does street striping take so long to happen?
••• Why do rocket launches look the way they do?
••• How is the San Ysidro Debris Basin designed to work?
••• What’s this building on Helena Avenue?
••• What are those old pilings in Arroyo Burro Creek?
••• What’s this building under construction in Toro Canyon?
↓↓↓ What’s the story behind the seal of the City of Santa Barbara?
••• Butterfly Beach steps, green power lines, SBAG license plates, and more
••• What’s this pole with a flashing blue light?
••• What are these sculptures on the Riviera?
••• What’s the origin story of this fence on Hot Springs Road?
••• Why is part of this West Beach mosaic covered in concrete?
••• What was the Weeping Willow Inn?
••• What does the “S” on certain chimneys stand for?
••• What’s the status of the decommissioning of Rincon Island?
••• What happened to the gas flame on Highway 101?
••• What do we know about the proposed apartment complex at 1 Hot Springs Road?
••• What’s the history of this tower on Ortega Ridge?
••• What’s up with these sculptures on a hillside in Summerland?
••• Is there a master plan for the new walking paths in Montecito?
••• Why are the Thousand Steps still wet?
••• What’s happening with Sola Street?
••• Why is this lot on Milpas Street still vacant?
••• Where else do cruise ships that visit here go?
••• What is this large memorial in Ennisbrook?
••• Who bought the former St. Mary’s seminary—and why?
••• What will happen to the SBPD building when the new building is completed?
••• What’s the story with this house on W. Cota Street?
••• What are those little houses on Santa Barbara Street?
••• What’s the point of this light pole near the freeway?
••• What’s inside Paseo Nuevo’s State Street tower?
••• What’s the point of these markings on Laguna Street?
••• Why is there a giant red shoe off Highway 101?
••• What’s up with the “no e-bike” signs on local trails?
••• Why is Franceschi House in a holding pattern?
••• What’s happening with this derelict house in Summerland?
••• Can you explain how sundowner winds work?
••• Why is there a pressure cooker attached to this utility pole?
••• What’s this concrete ramp thing on East Beach?
••• Why does “USA” get written on the street?
••• What are those poles in the ocean near the Ritz-Carlton Bacara?
••• Are people really allowed to set fires in the middle of Montecito?
••• What’s the story with the half-finished lot next to the Montecito Country Mart?
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It’s giving San Bernardino. But hey, at least we’ll have six lanes of backed up traffic instead of four.