Petition is successful with 1,036 signatures
To: Santa Barbara Mayor and City Council, [email protected], Historic Landmarks Commission, Pearl Chase Society, Das Williams, Santa Barbara County Supervisor, County Historic Landmarks Advisory Commission, Board of Supervisors, ...
Help us Save the Historic Mission Creek Bridge
This campaign has ended.
Let the Santa Barbara City Council know we want no changes to the Historic Mission Creek Bridge or roadway over Mission Creek.
Built in 1891, It is an important City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmark.
We don't agree with any of the changes the Bridge Studies Team are proposing. All would compromise the Historic Bridge and charm of the Mission Canyon Corridor and are unwarranted.
We must protect the sensitive natural environment of Mission Creek, the Oak and Sycamore trees and historic walls that provide special character to the Mission Canyon Corridor and Cultural Landscape.
Built in 1891, It is an important City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmark.
We don't agree with any of the changes the Bridge Studies Team are proposing. All would compromise the Historic Bridge and charm of the Mission Canyon Corridor and are unwarranted.
We must protect the sensitive natural environment of Mission Creek, the Oak and Sycamore trees and historic walls that provide special character to the Mission Canyon Corridor and Cultural Landscape.
Why is this important?
The city's Mission Canyon Bridge Project is very flawed. This is being driven by one more ambitious grant project. The Council only voted to look at options, they are not obligated to continue beyond the bridge team's proposals. This Bridge does not have to be replaced.
The most recent structural inspection by the Ca Dept of Transportation completed 3/15/2021 determined the Bridge remains safe and strong. Only one recomendation noted the scour in the cement needed maintenance which was also noted back in 2015.
Stucturally obsolete simply means, they don't make them like this anymore, to expensive and they don't have the craftsmen of over 100 years ago.
Traffic moving at 25 mph on the bridge is not slowed at either end of the Bridge, the Rose Garden on one end of it or Rocky Nook park on the other in this "share the road" corridor.
Already a "Vision Zero " corridor, there are no accident statistics that support the need for a new wider bridge which would result in widening the roadway and increase traffic speed .
Further, this is a “share the road” Corridor which means “one after the other.” this includes the bridge area where bicyclists have the the same traffic rules and are on the same level as motorists.
We are pleased that the City finally did the suggested maintenance repairs to the road surface and foot bridge this past summer of 2020 that had been recommended as far back as the 2011 inspections.
This bridge was completely refurbished in 2008 by Santa Barbara Public Works Department was found it to be structurally sound, in good condition and may be left in place.
Taxpayer's dollars could be better spent by both the City and County by better maintaining the existing footpaths and pedestrian crossings near Rocky Nook Park. This proposed 11 million dollar project threatens the special historic landscape in the surrounding area that goes back to the Chumash era and the Mission Creek endangered Steelhead Trout Restoration Program.
The bridge has withstood the test of time.
Not even a crack, with the 1925 earthquake of 6.8 magnitude that heavily damaged the Historic Mission and demolished most of downtown.
Fire evacuations thru the Mission Canyon Corridor over the years have all gone smoothly with no problems.
Further background. How did we get here?
The opposition, a small neighborhood group effort known as “Safe Passage”, years ago had a public workshop to give ideas to the City to discuss possible improvements for the Mission Canyon Corridor. Adding new pedestrian path and bike lanes were some ideas. The unanimous consensus on record, however, was not to alter the Historic Bridge over Mission Creek.
In 2016, the City and County Public Works Department’s joint application to fund new pedestrian and bike lanes was rejected by the State Active Transportation Program (ATP) for funding in this designated “share the road” corridor where bicyclists have the same rights and rules as vehicles.
With no safety justification, the City of Santa Barbara was not willing to fund the project.
The Santa Barbara Police and Sheriff’s Department’s records showed no deaths or reoccurring accidents on record through the corridor, compliant with the City’s Vision Zero Policy.
The City discovered, however, they could qualify for 11 million dollars of federal funding under the Federal Highway Administration if they replaced/rehabilitated the Historic Mission Creek Bridge.
The bridge project qualifies for funding only because the bridge is classified as “structurally obsolete”. This simply means that they do not build bridges this way anymore.
The whole plan was drastically changed to qualify for this new tax payer’s source of funding.
The City Council on 5/22/18 directed transportation with a new plan and moved ahead with this pork barrel project against Transportation’s recommendation to secure bridge funds even though it was not consistent with the majority of feedback staff had received at public outreach efforts.
The most recent structural inspection by the Ca Dept of Transportation completed 3/15/2021 determined the Bridge remains safe and strong. Only one recomendation noted the scour in the cement needed maintenance which was also noted back in 2015.
Stucturally obsolete simply means, they don't make them like this anymore, to expensive and they don't have the craftsmen of over 100 years ago.
Traffic moving at 25 mph on the bridge is not slowed at either end of the Bridge, the Rose Garden on one end of it or Rocky Nook park on the other in this "share the road" corridor.
Already a "Vision Zero " corridor, there are no accident statistics that support the need for a new wider bridge which would result in widening the roadway and increase traffic speed .
Further, this is a “share the road” Corridor which means “one after the other.” this includes the bridge area where bicyclists have the the same traffic rules and are on the same level as motorists.
We are pleased that the City finally did the suggested maintenance repairs to the road surface and foot bridge this past summer of 2020 that had been recommended as far back as the 2011 inspections.
This bridge was completely refurbished in 2008 by Santa Barbara Public Works Department was found it to be structurally sound, in good condition and may be left in place.
Taxpayer's dollars could be better spent by both the City and County by better maintaining the existing footpaths and pedestrian crossings near Rocky Nook Park. This proposed 11 million dollar project threatens the special historic landscape in the surrounding area that goes back to the Chumash era and the Mission Creek endangered Steelhead Trout Restoration Program.
The bridge has withstood the test of time.
Not even a crack, with the 1925 earthquake of 6.8 magnitude that heavily damaged the Historic Mission and demolished most of downtown.
Fire evacuations thru the Mission Canyon Corridor over the years have all gone smoothly with no problems.
Further background. How did we get here?
The opposition, a small neighborhood group effort known as “Safe Passage”, years ago had a public workshop to give ideas to the City to discuss possible improvements for the Mission Canyon Corridor. Adding new pedestrian path and bike lanes were some ideas. The unanimous consensus on record, however, was not to alter the Historic Bridge over Mission Creek.
In 2016, the City and County Public Works Department’s joint application to fund new pedestrian and bike lanes was rejected by the State Active Transportation Program (ATP) for funding in this designated “share the road” corridor where bicyclists have the same rights and rules as vehicles.
With no safety justification, the City of Santa Barbara was not willing to fund the project.
The Santa Barbara Police and Sheriff’s Department’s records showed no deaths or reoccurring accidents on record through the corridor, compliant with the City’s Vision Zero Policy.
The City discovered, however, they could qualify for 11 million dollars of federal funding under the Federal Highway Administration if they replaced/rehabilitated the Historic Mission Creek Bridge.
The bridge project qualifies for funding only because the bridge is classified as “structurally obsolete”. This simply means that they do not build bridges this way anymore.
The whole plan was drastically changed to qualify for this new tax payer’s source of funding.
The City Council on 5/22/18 directed transportation with a new plan and moved ahead with this pork barrel project against Transportation’s recommendation to secure bridge funds even though it was not consistent with the majority of feedback staff had received at public outreach efforts.