Public Meeting for New Roundabout at Cabrillo–Los Patos

The new roundabout at Cabrillo Boulevard and Los Patos Way will be the subject of a public community outreach meeting hosted by the City of Santa Barbara on Wednesday, November 8, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Palm Park Beach House (236 E. Cabrillo Blvd.).

The single-lane roundabout, which will take approximately 12 months to construct, is set to feature crosswalks, traffic islands, and a landscaped center traffic island. It will be accompanied by a new left-turn lane from Cabrillo Boulevard onto Channel Drive and a new pedestrian and bicycle lane on Channel Drive.

According to the city’s principal traffic engineer, Derrick Bailey, drivers will not need to take a detour during this construction. Flaggers will direct traffic during construction, but due to delays during working hours, most motorists “will likely find it convenient to use alternate routes.” Bailey said that the contractor on the project will begin to stage equipment by the end of 2023 and begin construction in January 2024.

At the meeting slated for Wednesday, staff from Caltrans and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments will also be present to provide information on the Highway 101 Widening Project, another Santa Barbara County road-improvement project that received $132.4 million in funding earlier this year.

The roundabout project is known as Phase 1 of the Cabrillo and Los Patos project. During Phase 2, which starts in 2026, the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge will be replaced, the underpass at Los Patos Way will be closed, and further pedestrian and bicycle improvements will be made. Phase 2 of the project is still seeking funding via state and federal grants.