Open House Kick-Off: Goleta’s Old Town Sidewalks

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce that construction will soon begin on the highly anticipated Old Town Sidewalk Improvements Project (OTSW). Work is scheduled to start in late February or early March. We hope you will join us for an Open House Kick-Off event on February 13 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the sidewalk near 30 Magnolia Avenue to learn more about this long-awaited project. City Staff, the Construction Manager, and Contractor will be present to talk about Old Town Sidewalks and answer questions. There will also be maps and Spanish translation available.

The Old Town Sidewalk Improvements Project has been in the planning and design phase for the last three years and the City of Goleta is excited to finally bring it to construction. The project includes constructing sidewalk on at least one side of each street north of Hollister Avenue between South Fairview Avenue and Mallard Avenue and Pine Avenue south of Hollister Avenue. The new sidewalk will connect to existing sidewalk. There will also be drainage improvements, tree replacements, repaving, and the construction of 39 back-in angled parking spots on Magnolia Avenue.

Goleta Public Works Sr. Project Engineer James Winslow said, “This project is long overdue. The streets in Old Town are 40 to 50 feet wide and many of the streets don’t have continuous sidewalks which means residents and children are walking on the street to get to the bus stop. They are pushing their strollers and carts down the middle of the street. They are double and illegally parking thereby blocking access ramps. When this project is done, the safety improvements, livability and ability to recreate in Old Town will change dramatically. We are pleased the community will be able to enjoy the improvements for years to come.”

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “Our actions to provide sidewalks for Old Town Goleta demonstrate our commitment to promoting exercise and reducing traffic. Our City Council and staff don’t just talk the talk – we walk the walk!”

Background:
On December 17, 2019, Council awarded the construction contract to Toro Enterprises, Inc. The $3.2 million dollar construction contract is partially funded with a $2.224 million Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant the Public Works Department secured on December 7, 2016. MNS Engineers, Inc. and team have been working on the preliminary design, right-of-way, encroachments, and final design for the past two and one-half years.  Aside from working with approximately 100 property owners and tenants on encroachments, the final design incorporated direct input and feedback from the residents in Old Town, including saving four large trees, particular drainage improvements, and maximizing the travel lane and parking widths on Gato Avenue. The feedback came through community meetings, outreach events, half a dozen Council presentations, and countless hours engaging the community one-on-one and in ambassador coffee house style meetings.

There are three phases to the project which will take approximately nine months to complete.

The City knows long-term projects such as this one can be inconvenient for those that live or visit the area, and we appreciate your patience in advance.

To learn more about this project, go to https:tinyurl.com/GoletaOTSW, email sidewalks@cityofgoleta.org, or call the Construction Manager at 805.450.7949.