Tag archives: San Ysidro Roundabout

San Ysidro Road Roundabout Ribbon Cutting
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 14, 2024

The $18.3 million construction projects for the roundabouts at San Ysidro Road and Olive Mill Road received their own special celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches, Recognition Certificates from elected officials, and press on Thursday, May 2. The celebration was set up on the upper sidewalk area around the northbound entrance ramp (now closed) […]

Roundabout Updates
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 19, 2023

Drivers traversing the San Ysidro roundabout over the weekend may have noticed the lighted traffic sign flashing an inappropriate message. According to the project team, the obviously-hacked sign was fixed within the day, with the contractor resetting the sign. “Unfortunately this happens all over the country, and we try and fix it as quickly as […]

Re: Roundabouts
By Montecito Journal   |   September 19, 2023

I’m not a civil engineer so I admit to being somewhat confused about the need for roundabouts versus single lane stops due to the improvements to the HWY101. More lanes are not exiting onto San Ysidro or Coast Village at once are they? My concern is one of proper (and pleasing) scale and awkwardness. These […]

A Little Local History on Roundabouts
By Montecito Journal   |   September 12, 2023

Traffic circles sound so British, don’t they. I feel like folk in Downton Abbey period garb should be milling around, with an occasional ‘ahooga’ horn barreling into the Olive Mill. Thanks for your softly-wrapped skepticism/wariness about the new “fixes.” I was an outspoken critic when the idea first surfaced and maintained a wary and concerned […]

It Works… But Does It Quirk?
By Gwyn Lurie   |   September 5, 2023

Gwyn Lurie Reflects on What We’ve Gained and Lost with Our New Roundabouts Let me start by saying I’m not anti-progress. But driving through Montecito’s recent road “improvements,” I have to admit to some feelings of nostalgia… and loss. For those not aware of the origin of our new roundabouts bookending Coast Village Road, and […]

San Ysidro Overcrossing Opens
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 5, 2023

This past weekend marked an important milestone in the construction of the San Ysidro Roundabout: the roundabout was opened for partial usage, and the overpass, an important thoroughfare in Montecito, was reopened, triggering the closure of the temporary fire station that was erected earlier this summer on Hill Road. “It entailed unbelievable collaboration for what […]

San Ysidro Roundabout Construction to Begin
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 14, 2023

Community members are invited to a meeting at Montecito Union School this Thursday, March 9, to learn about the construction staging for the San Ysidro Roundabout, which begins Monday, March 13. Here’s what you need to know.  The first phase of work will begin in the northwest corner of the intersection of North Jameson Lane […]

San Ysidro Roundabout Meeting
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 7, 2023

On Thursday, March 9, at 5 pm, there will be a meeting at Montecito Union School regarding the construction staging for the San Ysidro Roundabout, which starts mid-March.  The San Ysidro roundabout project includes replacing the current intersection at San Ysidro, North Jameson, and the Highway 101 northbound entrance and exit with an oblong-shaped roundabout, […]

Prepare for Construction Delays
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   October 25, 2022

The project team behind the 101 expansion and associated projects in Montecito are making the rounds this week and next, preparing the community for impending traffic delays. Representatives from Caltrans and SBCAG, along with spokesperson Kirsten Ayars, will be at the Coast Village Business Association this week, followed by a public meeting next Tuesday, October […]

Construction Coming to Montecito
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   August 16, 2022

At a Montecito Association Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting last week, project reps from the Highway 101 team gave an update on the project as well as timelines for two parallel projects, one of which is slated to begin construction this fall. The meeting was in advance of a highly anticipated hearing next week […]

Coastal Commission Upholds Roundabout Projects
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 29, 2021

At a hearing last week, the California Coastal Commission upheld approvals for two upcoming roundabouts in Montecito after considering appeals of both projects.  The two roundabouts – one at the intersection of Olive Mill and Coast Village roads and one at San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Lane – have had a polarizing effect on […]

At Long Last, the Apocalyptic 101 Freeway Widening Project is Upon Us
By Nick Schou   |   November 12, 2020

By the time you read this, the outcome of the U.S. presidential race may not be decided, but one thing will be certain: The much-anticipated 101 Freeway widening project, which will add two new lanes between Summerland and Santa Barbara over the next three years, will not only not be over, it will have already […]

Letters to the Editor
By Montecito Journal   |   June 25, 2020

Not Missing After All Nicholas Schou’s article in the 18-25 June 2020 edition of the Journal is a deeply flawed and misdirected screed against private wells disguised as an “investigation” of “Montecito’s Missing Water.” An alliterative headline to be sure, but missing? It may be unknown, but it hasn’t gone missing. At the outset, when […]

San Ysidro Roundabout Moves Forward
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   June 18, 2020

After over 25 hours of digging through the details of the San Ysidro Road Roundabout project, the Montecito Planning Commission approved the project last week in a 4-1 vote. Commissioner Susan Keller was the dissenting vote, saying the project, in her opinion, is not consistent with the Montecito Community Plan. The project has been an […]

Letters to the Editor
By Montecito Journal   |   May 28, 2020

Water Well Done Great job on the first water piece in last week’s Journal by Nick Schou. Water is very critical for us and a healthy environment but the issues surrounding it can get complicated very quickly. I have been very involved in both our local and statewide water issues for over three decades and […]

San Ysidro Roundabout at MPC
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 28, 2020

After nearly 12 hours of discussing the proposed roundabout at San Ysidro Road last Wednesday, the Montecito Planning Commission agreed to continue their hearing on the project until June 10, in order to give County staff time to formulate additional conditions to the project. In what Commissioner Susan Keller called Montecito’s biggest land use and […]

Letters to the Editor
By Montecito Journal   |   May 21, 2020

Tribute to a Community treasure, John Venable It’s extremely rare to find a person that gives so much of themselves unselfishly to their community as John Venable. John was always “there” and “ready” for whatever task that lay ahead. He was the first to volunteer to help organize and videograph our first Village 4th Parade […]

Montecito Planning Commission Hears San Ysidro Roundabout
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 30, 2020

Last week, the Montecito Planning Commission heard from County Planning & Development and Public Works staff regarding the proposed roundabout at San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Lane. It was the first time the project was in front of the MPC, after receiving positive comments at two prior Montecito Board of Architectural Review (MBAR) meetings. […]

Land Use Committee Discusses 2020 Goals
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 6, 2020

Chris Sneddon, Deputy Director of Transportation for the County of Santa Barbara, was back in front of the Montecito Association Land use Committee on Tuesday, reporting that several changes have been made to the San Ysidro Roundabout project over the last several weeks. The project is set to be back in front of Montecito Board […]

Montecito Association Sees San Ysidro Roundabout
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   November 14, 2019

Santa Barbara County’s Deputy Director of Transportation Chris Sneddon was in front of the Montecito Association on Tuesday, giving a presentation on the roundabout slated for San Ysidro Road.  The current intersection includes traffic from North Jameson, San Ysidro, and the northbound entrance and exit of Highway 101. The new roundabout ties each flow of […]