Vehicle crashes into Mission Creek
A woman was transported to a local hospital on Saturday after crashing her Jeep into Mission Creek at Rocky Nook Park.
SANTA BARBARA — A woman was transported to a local hospital on Saturday after crashing her Jeep into Mission Creek at Rocky Nook Park.
The incident was reported around 10:51 a.m. Saturday. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department responded to assist the victim, who was treated on scene by fire crews, said Capt. Daniel Bertucelli, fire spokesman.
She was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for further medical treatment.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
— Mitchell White
No arrests made in wellness checks
The Santa Barbara County Probation Department conducted countywide wellness checks last week on active probation and post release community supervision clients.
The “Operation Safe At Home” event was the third operation conducted during the pandemic. A total of 24 probation officers participated in 33 visits, with no arrests made, according to authorities.
The operation specifically focused on probationers where it was determined there were children, victims, or vulnerable adults in the home. These cases included, but were not limited to, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, family violence, and where there was a child likely residing in the home. The operation included the cities and surrounding area of Santa Maria, Orcutt, Lompoc, Santa Barbara and Goleta.
The focus has been to perform wellness checks on active probationers and their families, observing living environments and documenting any needs of the family, providing information on probation and community resources, and deterring any future criminal activity by ensuring client compliance with their terms and conditions of probation.
Wellness bags with sanitizing products, resources and food were provided to each family and Easter-themed baskets were handed out to children.
— Mitchell White
Closures planned for Highway 101 project
CARPINTERIA — Several lane closures are planned this week as work continues on the Highway 101 widening project in Carpinteria.
From 9 p.m. tonight to 5 a.m. Monday, one northbound lane will be closed from North Padaro Lane to Sheffield Drive. A similar closure will be in place during overnight hours Monday to Friday, according to Caltrans officials.
From 10 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. Saturday, one southbound lane will be closed from Sheffield Drive to North Padaro Lane, as well as from Santa Claus Lane to Bailard Avenue. The closure will also include the on and offramps at Carpinteria, Reynolds, Linden and Bailard avenues and Casitas Pass Road.
A similar closure will be enforced during overnight hours Monday to Friday. In addition, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday, the southbound on and offramps at Carpinteria, Reynolds, Linden and Bailard avenues, as well as Casitas Pass Road, will be closed. Consecutive ramps in the same direction will not be closed at the same time, officials said.
Over the next few weeks, crews will be finishing up work on the south side of the Highway in Carpinteria and will then shift lanes onto the new median and southbound areas.
The southbound onramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for the duration of the project, with an anticipated reopening date set for 2023. The offramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for up to 16 months and could reopen by the end of 2021.
The offramp at Carpinteria Avenue will be closed for up to seven weeks and is expected to reopen on March 29. The offramp at Linden Avenue reopened on March 18.
Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic at the Evans Avenue undercrossing during daytime work.
Temporary stop signs will be installed at the intersection of Sheffield Drive and North Jameson Lane for the duration of construction of the Summerland segment.
Crews will continue to install underground storm drains between Sheffield Drive and North Padaro Lane.
Work will also continue on the retaining walls, temporary supports and bridge span at the Sheffield Drive interchange. Work will continue on the retaining walls, temporary supports and bridge spans in the area.
“As part of the longterm habitat and bird protection plan, biologists and arborists have removed old nests, installed visual deterrents, and will use auditory deterrents to discourage cormorant nesting within the construction area,” read a Caltrans news release. “This effort is to encourage the birds to nest outside the construction zone. At the end of the nesting season, the visual deterrents (beach-ball type balloons, flash tape, etc.) will be removed. Trees will remain as part of the longterm habitat. Biologists are on-site monitoring this effort.”
Construction work is continuing on the new bridge span at the Evans Avenue undercrossing, and concrete recycling is ongoing at the North Padaro Lane interchange.
Crews will also be working on pre-construction activities as needed for the Parado segment of the project, which will add a new, third freeway lane in each direction and new bridges over Toro and Arroyo Parida creeks.
At the South Padaro Lane Undercrossing, the bridge and on- and offramps will be replaced. At the North Padaro Lane Interchange, new on and offramp improvements will be built. There will also be three new sound walls built.
The majority of work will occur in the median and near the South Padaro/Santa Claus Lane on- and offramps.
Following construction, 108 new oak trees will be planted and the center median between Santa Claus and North Padaro lanes will feature the Blue Star Symbol and oak leaves as an update to the Memorial Oaks section to commemorate World War I service.
Crews will continue work on southbound 101 and various ramps as part of the Highway 101: Carpinteria project. The work includes installing rebar and pouring concrete for the Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement for southbound highway lanes and offramp. For the Bailard Avenue ramps, crews will pave the gore areas, known as the areas between the lanes and ramps.
Construction work for temporary ramp improvements at Santa Monica Road is continuing.
Work is also ongoing on the approach areas and safety barriers near Franklin and Santa Monica creek bridges.
Also, crews are installing in-and-out blocks for the new sound wall between Carpinteria and Santa Ynez avenues.
In addition, a landscaping contractor is planting and mulching along southbound 101 between Linden Avenue and Casitas Pass Road and Via Real.
For more information on the project, visit www.sbroads.com.
— Mitchell White
