Plans For Widening of Highway 101 Need Community Input

This is the only government public hearing in Montecito. Caltrans parameters for their forum will not include public comments from the floor, but public comments will be recorded separately. Since this phase affects Montecito directly the Montecito Association encourages all of its members and Montecito residents to get involved.

This is your first opportunity to learn what is proposed for the highway design running through Montecito.

You should be aware that some of the project’s resulting impacts would be:

• Eight traffic lanes of highway cement and four cement shoulders are envisioned after you leave Montecito and head south to Summerland (just after Sheffield). The beautiful grove of trees will disappear.

• A huge interchange at Sheffield, destroying the view going north.

• New sound suppression walls along 101 (what will they look like?).

• No fix in the southbound onramp from San Ysidro Road.

• Major reconstruction of the Hot Springs/Cabrillo interchange.

The Montecito Association will hold a public forum in Montecito on May 1 to hear your comments on the proposed plan, 5 p.m. at El Montecito Presbyterian Church, 1455 East Valley Road, Montecito.