SANTA BARBARA — A pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvement project is underway near Stearns Wharf.
The project includes work from the beachway at Skater’s Point off Cabrillo Boulevard west towards the entrance to Stearns Wharf. The sidewalks and beachway around the wharf restroom will be reconstructed and the beachway toward the ocean will be reoriented by six feet on the northeast side of the crosswalk. A second, pedestrian-only crosswalk will be installed northwest of the existing shared crosswalk, and green bicycling stenciling will be painted on the beachway, according to a news release.
A previous sidewalk will be constructed at an angle connecting the Stearns Wharf sidewalk to Cabrillo Boulevard’s sidewalk so that pedestrians do not damage the Chase Palm Park grass, and the previous concrete will have a perpendicular path connecting to the restroom in the area. The project also involves new signage, the addition of bicycle racks for beach goers, and landscape improvements, including removal of two concrete connections between the skate park’s perimeter sidewalk and the beachway that will be replaced with turf. The sidewalk and beachway will be separated by a wrought iron rail, matching the existing rail, further defining the separation of the paths.
The goal of the project is to keep pedestrians and cyclists separated and to reduce conflict points by encouraging pedestrian use of the Cabrillo sidewalk and cyclist use of the beachway. The project is anticipated to be complete in early February 2021, and is a Vision Zero Project to reduce and eliminate severe injuries and fatalities in the city.
— Mitchell White
