Activists Oppose Fiddling with State-De La Vina Intersection

The City Transport & Circulation Committee thoroughly dissected the project design and traffic speed models during our meeting held 08Nov.2007, and then voted unanimously in our Finding that the project meets the City Circulation Element because the design will slow down car traffic, allow longer lines of sight by drivers, and allow fewer street crossings by pedestrians.

Also, the project is entirely from a State grant and DOES NOT COST THE CITY ANY CASH TO BUILD IT.

The full meeting Minutes are agenda item 3 here:

http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Documents/...

Trying to stop this change is dangerous and irresponsible. I live in the Samarkand area and am frightened to cross De La Vina at State. The switch to a T intersection is long, long past due.

We need a signal at Cieneguitas and Foothill. Who do we talk to about this.

This intersection was perhaps appropriate when the city was a small town. The original design was iffy for cars, pedestrians and cyclists from day one but now it is just crazy and this project is long overdue.

The opposition usually comes with protests of usually one women who lives far away on a knoll at the end of a private lane. She spearheads her efforts in what I consider to be a most paranoid fashion. This is relevant only because from her seclusive and lofty perspective she apparently develops paranoid images and at the public podium charges city staff, committee and council members with favoritism, elitism and lying or as in this report "false pretenses." Unfortunately she is successful at gathering signatures. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with another opponent Dale Francisco who now sits on the council.

It is through public hearings and policy and decades of neighborhood complaints that has finally brought this project ahead. Don't let this narrow-minded "coalition" derail this project. If you sign her petition it is most likely that you are not paying attention.

Regarding the Cieneguitas and Foothill intersection; It is probably in the State Government CalTrans jurisdiction. The county transportation department might be of help. Start now and perhaps in about 4 or 5 decades the problem could be funded. The exception would be if a family of five gets killed at that intersection. Then you might get on the fast-track. Also, don't expect the groups like Santa Barbarans 4 Safe Streets, Cars R Basic, StreetsRus or the Bimmer Community to help you out.

Doesn't De La Vina Street follow the route of old Highway 101? ...and the intersection in question came about when State Street was finally put through to connect with it (State used to stop at Constance)?
If so, the intersection probably didn't have as much traffic back then so it wasn't the problem it has become today.

Seems to me an unnecessary and costly expenditure that, although adding the perception of safety, only promotes traffic congestion, additional wait times and higher concentrations of smog. Traffic should move swiftly, not be constricted. Why not eliminate the crosswalk that is of issue? There is already an adequately marked crosswalk only 50 yards up State Street. The De La Vina/State Street intersection works fine the way it is. Please stop creating barriers to traffic in the name of assumptive public safety.

What about a stoplight at Foothill and Cieneguitas? This is more urgent than any other intersection in town. How many deaths at this corner does it take to get the traffic people to get to work? Have you measured the average speeds here? If so, what are the numbers? Certainly way above 38 miles per hour.

Regarding the Cieneguitas and Foothill intersection; It is probably in the State Government CalTrans jurisdiction. The county transportation department might be of help. Start now and perhaps in about 4 or 5 decades the problem could be funded. The exception would be if a family of five gets killed at that intersection. Then you might get on the fast-track. Also, don't expect the groups like Santa Barbarans 4 Safe Streets, Cars R Basic, StreetsRus or the Bimmer Community to help you out.