As one of the area’s largest employers, county government is
taking a lead role in reducing rush hour commuter traffic on
Highway 101 by instituting a program of telecommuting, vanpooling,
and offering workers flex time. County staff are particularly
concerned about the congestion nightmare anticipated during highway
construction in the coming year; although this construction is
designed to improve traffic flow between Santa Barbara and Ventura
in the long run, it will initially worsen it. Only 293 county
employees currently drive long distances alone in their cars to get
to work, but county staff hopes to set an example to encourage
other employers to adopt similar policies, thereby making a
cumulative impact on traffic.
