Officials participate in ribbon cutting for Chumash Museum Highway Beautification Project
SKenneth Kahn, chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Indians, cuts the ribbon Thursday to celebrate the $1.3 million Chumash Museum Highway Beautification project in Santa Ynez as other officials watched. Standing next to Mr. Kahn is state Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara.
Local officials were all smiles Thursday morning with efforts under way to beautify a half-mile stretch of State Route 246 by the future Chumash Museum and Cultural Center.
“I’m very proud to be here, celebrating this partnership with our community, particularly with Caltrans District 5,” said Kenneth Kahn, chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Indians, before cutting the ribbon for the beautification project while other local officials held ceremonial shovels.
“As you can see, our 15,000 square-foot museum is nearly done,” Mr. Kahn said, referring to the structure near him during Thursday’s ceremony. “We are sitting on a 7-acre parcel — 3.5 acres of that is a park.”
He said the $1.3 million Chumash Museum Highway Beautification Project in Santa Ynez will be “an excellent complement” to the museum, which is scheduled to open next year.
The highway beautification project involves native plant landscaping, an upgrade to irrigation using recycled water, decorative crosswalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, and improved directional signage. The work is scheduled to be completed by June 2023.
The project is the first of 12 Clean California-funded beautification projects on the Central Coast to break ground.
“As we drive along, walk along, bike along, we’ll see cleaner highways,” state Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, said during the ceremony.
Sen. Limón noted that it takes community engagement to obtain state funds such as those in the Clean California program. “I’m grateful to the Chumash for being involved and saying, ‘We want to be part of beautifying the highway.’ ”
Tim Gubbins, the Caltrans 5 district director, noted those benefitting from the project will include students at nearby Santa Ynez Valley Union High School. “It’ll make it more walkable and attractive to them as well.”
Mr. Gubbins also noted he’s proud to coordinate with local partners such as the Chumash tribe to beautify busy and scenic State Route 246.
Mr. Kahn noted the partnership with Caltrans is resulting in transportation improvements that will enhance visitors’ experience when the museum opens.
“We want to send a big thank you to Gov. (Gavin) Newsom and all those who supported his administration’s Clean California program,” Mr. Kahn said. “The $1.1 billion program is certainly making a difference in communities across California.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
