San Ysidro and Olive Mill Roundabouts come alive with traffic while final work is completed

MONTECITO, Calif. - There was a time when the talk of a traffic circle or roundabout project was met with serious community roadblocks in the Santa Barbara and Montecito areas.

Now they are part of ongoing projects in many areas, including two new ones that just recently started hosting a traffic flow.

One is on Olive Mill Road at Coast Village Road.

The latest is on San Ysidro Road a block away at North Jameson Lane.

The San Ysidro project has been a solution to a failed rating on traffic flow in the area with frequent congestion. It previously had stop signs.

The location is at a site where there are on and off ramps for U.S. Highway 101, it is near two schools, it is across from a prominent resort hotel, it has frequent use by bicyclists, and it is a pedestrian walkway.

The current project is expected to move traffic along at a more acceptable pace.

The roundabout at Olive Mill was a joint effort by many agencies including Cal Trans, the County of Santa Barbara and the City of Santa Barbara. Many community groups also weighed in with input.

With traffic now flowing, the roundabouts are getting an early test. The final work, however, is still being completed. That includes lighting and signage.

(more photos, details and video will be added later today)

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