SANTA BARBARA, California – It’s often called the most confusing intersection on the Central Coast, but the solution is set to take place next month on Olive Mill Road, Beach Village. and Highway 101 intersect.
The Olive Mill Roundabout project will begin in November.
“The intersection is one of the worst performing intersections around,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Das Williams.
This is a joint project with the City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, Caltrans, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and many other agencies, boards, commissions and committees.
It’s an area where drivers often don’t know who’s “going around” and when you add in the traffic, pedestrians and cyclists on North Jameson Lane, it’s not only congested during peak hours, it’s also dangerous.
“It’s a unique intersection and I don’t think I’ve ever seen an intersection like this,” said Cal Trans Corridor Manager Joe Erwin.
In the first phase, the most important work will be done until December.
Most of the work will be done in the summer of 2023.
The project is at the intersection of city-owned Montecito and Santa Barbara.
In meetings with businesses and property owners, concerns were raised about work schedules, traffic delays, the impact on business and noise. It was held by Cal Trans and government leaders from the New Beach Village Improvement Association.
Association President Trey Pinner said, “It’s a great way to showcase this plaza to our community. It’s well designed, it looks great. We’re looking forward to it. We want it.”
“Look for detours and if you’re used to an on-ramp and it’s closed now, keep those detours. There will be a signed route, so pay attention when you’re driving,” Erwin said.
Property owner Jeff Harding said, “There seems to be a lot of traffic coming through Hermosillo onto Coast Village Road. I’m at the end of the road so it’s a lot of traffic.”
The owners of the Montecito Inn said that the nightly construction would affect their hotel and the business would suffer financial losses.
“The construction is not exciting, but in the end it will be a much better intersection and better traffic flow,” Williams said.
Other businesses were concerned about how customers could get in and out of the area.
At times, both the northbound and Soundbound freeway ramps are closed.
During the work project, there will always be a design for traffic flow and the intersection will not be closed.
Delays can be five to ten minutes. Traffic control personnel are present.
To those who don’t support the roundabout, Erwin said, “And they think there’s nothing to do here, but you put the roundabout in and people find their way. It just takes the congestion away.”
The project will reduce traffic to one lane, with a recommended speed of 20 miles per hour, entering and exiting the roundabout.
In the bigger picture, the local Highway 101 expansion project is still on schedule in the coming years, and this roundabout is a piece of the traffic flow solutions.
“It’s going to be really important to get the freeway project done before the freeway project comes so that we don’t have bad things happen during construction,” Williams said.
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