Study shows more local freeway congestion linked to workers
A new study by the U.S. Census Bureau shows daily congestion on Highway 101 locally during morning and evening commute times is being aggravated by workers traveling from Ventura to Santa Barbara and back for a paycheck.
The growing traffic on Highway 101 during peak hours is driving some studies like the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
The most recent results shows over 11 thousand commuters travel daily for work from Ventura County to Santa Barbara County. About 2000 drivers are going the other direction for work.
Many local residents have learned to steer clear of the congested peak hours, if they can. “You have to avoid it at certain times. At 4 o’clock going that way (south) then you have to take short cuts and go around it,” said resident Jim Scarborough.
Carpinteria resident Amanda McIntyre is not bothered by some traffic around her home saying, “it’s so much better than living in Los Angeles where I was before. This is not a problem.”
A Summerland resident says he has added double paned windows to his house to keep the traffic noise down. Williams Thomas also says if he gets on the road at the wrong time, it takes two or three times the normal commute to get where he needs to go.
