Traffic changes in Orcutt upset commuters; no left-hand turns off Foxwooden Lane
ORCUTT, Calif. - Some commuters and neighbors in Orcutt are upset about traffic changes at the busy intersection of Foxenwood Lane and Clark Ave.
Drivers are no longer permitted to take a left-hand turn off Foxenwood Lane onto Clark Avenue. Clark Avenue is the main street that runs through Orcutt.
The Santa Barbara County Department of Public Works set up temporary yellow medians to prevent traffic from making the left-hand turns.
“It's just very inconvenient, in the morning I come from Clark Avenue and can't even turn into this park and ride. I have to go all the way down and flip a U-turn,” said park and ride commuter Kevin Fredrick.
The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department says the new restriction is a temporary test run for a future median they plan to build.
“The Orcutt Community Plan has an action in it for us to build a median from the 135 highway to Dyer Street in the center of Clark Ave,” said Gary Smart, the traffic engineer in charge of the project.
They plan to study the traffic changes to see if it is a workable solution.
“The reason we did it is to determine what the future traffic movements will be for a median that we will be building in conjunction with the Oasis Community Center and a commercial development that is planned for the northwest corner,” said Smart.
A park and ride sits right on the intersection. Commuters who use the lot are outraged.
“It's going to really screw up this park and ride,” said Dave Spence who uses the lot.
“It completely negates the use of this park and ride,” said Fredrick.
Some also think the temporary median is more problematic than just an inconvenience.
“It's dangerous, because we have witness cars that blow this stop sign now. They make a right turn without even stopping then they will go up and make a U-turn at the delineators and go back,” said Spence.
Public works said they plan to try other options as test pilots as well.
The traffic engineer in charge of the project, Greg Smart, is asking for public comments and welcomes people to contact him directly at the Santa Barbara County Department of Public Works.
