New Carpinteria bike path will have far reaching connections

A new bike path in Carpinteria will be a major connection to coastal riding in the future through and beyond the small town setting.

At a ribbon cutting this morning, Santa Barbara County transportation leaders, city officials in Carpinteria and residents who have urged for upgrades to the outdated path all checked out the new look.

Many bikers were ready to take the first ride, and pedestrians including Santa and Mrs. Claus joined in the walk. It began at Casitas Pass Road and connected to Carpinteria Avenue. The route goes under the freeway and along a creek that’s also getting new landscaping and upgrades.

The project will also have enhanced lighting for safety.

The route is considered an asset to the area for residents who would normally be sharing the road with cars and trucks over the bridge crossings and also getting on and off the freeway.

This project was part of a larger improvement in the area to widen bridges and add new freeway lanes, ramps, and signals.

Casitas Pass and Linden Avenue are both getting long overdue new bridges. The number of new traffic signals involved in these projects will more than double the number of signals in the town now.

Mayor Wade Nomura says riders worldwide will enjoy coming through the town, especially when connections are made between Santa Claus Lane on the west to the still-to-be-finished Rincon trail on the east. That section will lead the riders to a popular waterfront route to Ventura.

Ed France with the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition says it’s been a careful “dance” to get all of the projects on the drawing board, funded and approved.

Nomura says grant money has been available for the bike and pedestrian routes which has save local tax dollars.