Mission Canyon Bridge restoration – Santa Barbara News Press

City Offers Project Options to Improve Bridge Safety RAFAEL MALDONADO / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS The City of Santa Barbara has conducted studies for the Mission Canyon Road Bridge to identify ways to improve structural safety, earthquake preparedness and improve public safety.

While Mission Canyon Road Bridge over Mission Creek is an iconic historic and iconic landmark in Santa Barbara, the stone bridge has presented some challenges over time to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

Constructed in the late 19th century, the bridge is declining in age, along with its structural classifications, including a hole in the concrete under the bridge.

The structural supports of the attached corridor deteriorate and rust.

The bridge lacks earthquake retrofit, forms poor sightlines for drivers and current collision patterns, has inadequate pedestrian lanes, footpaths, and bike lanes, and restricts water flow under the bridge during major storms.

The City of Santa Barbara has conducted studies for this bridge to determine ways to improve structural integrity, earthquake preparedness, and public safety.

Last Wednesday, city officials presented the results of their study, including three bridge options and three road options that can be mixed and matched. Now, the city and concerned community members are seeking public input on the options.

Each option lists pros and cons regarding historical preservation, safety features, and environmental considerations.

For the bridge, Option 1 preserves the existing stone bridge and reinforces the bridge by removing a portion of the dirt that is currently filling the arch; Option 2 creates a bridge with two arcs to handle the flow of water in large storms; Option 3 creates a 50-foot wider arch bridge that reuses existing stone and mulch.

Each bridge option can be matched with any of the road options.

For the road, Option A expands the road and bridge evenly on both sides to increase the driver’s viewing distance, and adds five-foot bike lanes and six-foot lanes on either side.

Option B widens the road, rehabilitates or replaces the bridge to increase the driver’s vision distance, and adds five-foot bicycle lanes and part six-foot pedestrians. Additionally, a 10-foot footbridge would be added downstream, but would not qualify for federal funding.

Finally, Option C will rehabilitate or replace the bridge along with a six-foot pathway down the upstream side of the road, add five-foot bicycle lanes and make minor road improvements. It will not qualify for federal funding because it does not address shortcomings of the roads north and south of the bridge.

The Mission Canyon Road Bridge was constructed in the late 1800s and is receding, along with its structural classifications, including a hole in the concrete under the bridge.

“The difficult part about this part is that there is not a single element that goes to the top,” Kirsten Ayers, the community outreach responsible for studying the project, told News-Press. “These are all important elements. Public safety is very important when you talk about … the facilities (important) because when these collisions happen, they cut off power to the area and cut off access to the road.

“All of them are great deals.”

Given the access to the road for the evacuation route, she said, the bridge serving as a constraint point for schedules, earthquake safety standards and historical resources is crucial in the public comment period.

“There are a lot of options to mix and match to meet historical safety and resources, along with how to improve the area and preserve the neighborhood’s character,” said Ms. Ayares. “We think we can do it, and we want people’s opinions and what they think.”

There have been a number of crashes and collisions on the bridge, according to Rob Dayton, the city’s director of transportation and parking planning.

“As you go straight down to Mission Canyon and turn left, people bump into that wall a lot,” he told News-Press. “They also hit the rails of the bridge.”

He said the common themes that residents were asking about were about the bridge’s historical structure and style. Option 3 for the bridge, which creates a 50-foot arch, could jeopardize listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the status of the city landmark.

“A lot of people have focused on this issue,” said Mr. Dayton. “This is a very special place. We have to do it right and we all have to be comfortable with the data and analysis to find a clear path forward for the community and decision makers.”

Nathan Hayden rents a house on the border of the creek and bridge on its west side, opposite Rocky Knock Park. He and his wife rented it out for eight years, closely keeping pace with the development of the soon-to-be construction project. He told News-Press that his preferred option for the bridge was Option 3, 50-foot arch.

Courtesy Images This graphic demonstrates Option A for road improvement, it will expand the road and bridge evenly on both sides to increase the driver’s vision distance, and add five-foot and six-foot bicycle lanes on both sides.

“To us, this appears to be the least obstructing the creek.” Mr. Hayden said the big problem was that if there was anything blocking the creek and there was a massive flood and backsliding, it would pass through the park and basically pass through our property. ”That seemed to be the safest of all. In terms of flood protection, as much as environmental protection as well. “

The Hayden family has a two-year-old daughter, so Mr. Hayden said he cares more about her safety and the lines of sight for driving.

He said, “It would be great to be able to cross the street without worrying about the traffic just as much.” “The 50-foot arch is the least accurate representation historically, and it’s less important to me than safety in terms of sight lines, floods and environmental fallout.”

Hayden counted during his eight years of living in the area, he said that 14 cars had collided with a bridge wall or the telephone pole in front of their home. He said, from what he could remember, four of those cars hit the wall with enough force that the city had to rebuild parts of the wall.

“The argument for authenticity went out the window just because the four main parts of that wall have already been rebuilt,” he said. “Every time it rains, people bump into the wall, which prevents them from entering our kitchen.”

He added that he understood the heart of those who wanted to keep it close to what it was in 1890, but “the reality of the situation is that the bridge is heavily smuggled out now.”

Fred Sweeney is President and Co-founder of Mission Heritage Trails Association. He’s been involved in this effort for a decade, with many community members and city officials touring the area.

“We will come up with a good solution,” Mr. Sweeney told News-Press. “This process is going to really get us to the point where we’re going to have a way to get everyone to be able to pass this corridor safely after all these years and all that work.

“There is a lot of our rich history.”

More information on bridge studies is available at Missioncanyonbridge.com. Comments can also be submitted on the site.

Email: [email protected]

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