First day without traffic light yields near-fatal crash at Los Olivos intersection
Jarrod Zinn
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. – Los Olivos residents are speaking out after CALTRANS removed a temporary traffic signal on Highway 154.
A crash happened the day after it was taken down.
Highway 154 is a major commuter route connecting north and south Santa Barbara county.
Several small communities, including Los Olivos, connect directly to the highway.
“This is a small town, and many of us living on the other side of the highway have small children. So having to cross such a dangerous intersection and having to worry about them going out and having to cross it during busy times, it adds a lot of stress,” says Santa Ynez resident Zach Brown.
Drivers at intersections like Foxen Canyon must wait at stop signs and hope for a break in traffic.
When patience runs out, crashes can happen.
“The accidents here range from fatalities to major injuries to sometimes non injuries. But the problem is, is that they’re frequent during the construction process, we saw sometimes multiple traffic collisions a day,” says Los Olivos resident Ryan Smith.
During the recent nearby Edison roundabout project, about a mile away, CALTRANS installed a temporary signal that residents say improved safety and traffic flow.
But after the project finished, CALTRANS removed the light.
“That was never intended to be a permanent traffic safety device. It is very different, a permanent signal than one that is a temporary signal. They look different. The process of installation is different. The traffic safety studies are more enhanced and the funding mechanisms are different,” says Jim Shivers, CALTRANS District 5 spokesperson.
On the first day without it, two cars collided in a crash that left people seriously injured.
“This has always been a problem for people. It’s a very difficult if you’re just going on 154, it’s not a big deal, but when you’re coming in from the sides, it’s hard to get over there. And so it’s been an area of concern for people who live here and have to get back and forth,” says Joan Hartmann, Santa Barbara county Supervisor for District 3.
Locals quickly raised concerns to community leaders and online, saying a traffic light could have prevented what they believe was a near-fatal accident.
“I think we’re in a challenging situation,” says Brown. “CALTRANS seems to have their hands tied a little bit on this. I know they have their the federal regulations and processes as long as that as well as their own protocols. My suggestion or my hope would be that our county supervisors could pass a special resolution and maybe send it up to our state representatives to work with CALTRANS and figure out a way to get this done faster.”
CALTRANS has studied the intersection at Foxen Canyon and plans to build a roundabout.
They’re now monitoring the Edison roundabout’s performance before deciding whether to build another at Roblar.
CALTRANS says it’s weighing several options but wants to avoid slowing traffic along the corridor.