$18MM for the Las Positas – Modoc Road Multi-Use Path (MUP) segment…$10MM for Modoc Road MUP…
$28MM for 3.7 miles of bike path!!!
Here is a video of the empty bike lanes on Modoc Road…out to Las Positas Rd. and back…watch for how many (few) bikes are using this expensive new infrastructure…built the Santa Barbara way…with “Free” California State ATP grant money…with arguably the most beautiful “lipstick on a pig” underpass that you will ever see!
More potholes than bikes in this vid clip…thankful for image stabilization…go on and count the bikes…pro tip: DON”T BLINK!…;-)
L@@Ked into the CLUSTER FUDGE issue with non-permitted discharges into the Arroyo Burro Watershed and found that the County tried to skirt compliance with the permit and storm water environmental rules and requirements by misstating the size of the soil disturbance in the construction zone as being under 1 acre when just about anyone with simple math skills can see that it’s easily over an acre…let’s hope that this is a one-off and not a systemic problem at the SBC Public Works Department…
“I have been in contact with the County and they are aware that they are required to enroll for coverage under the Construction General Permit, as the site’s total disturbed area is over 1 acre. I will be following up with them next week to check on their progress developing their Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and submitting their additional Permit Registration Documents (PRDs), as required to obtain coverage under the CGP.”
Let’s not forget that there is ongoing litigation between CAMP and Santa Barbara County for violations of CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)…if the County had just stuck to their original plan of building this MUP in their own Right-of-Way this lawsuit would most likely not be happening…as their proposed plan is designed now without replacing the dangerous westbound Class II bike lane like they said they would in the $5.35MM ATP grant…they will be exposed to a negligence lawsuit in the future if/when a cyclist is seriously injured in a collision with a vehicle…BTW, that free grant money did not get approved at the CTC (California Transportation Commission) meeting last week…listen to CAMP’s Shelly Cobb’s public comments…
The Modoc Preserve is a wetland…fortunately we have had rain this season to remind people of that fact…the Chumash name for the wetland where the Modoc Preserve is located is Kaswa’a…”Little Swamps”…the Spaniards called it Cieneguitas…and, this wetland drains into Cieneguitas Creek…
CDFW (California Department of Fish & Wildlife) concluded that the Project may impact surface and subsurface water flow beyond the drainage channels identified by the MND, thereby altering the drainage patterns of the area causing indirect environmental impacts. CDFW concluded that a Streambed Alteration Agreement permit would be needed, which was not reflected in the MND.
What the what?!?!
Telling the CalTrans ATP grant people that replacing this bike lane was necessary for safety reasons is how they got the funds for this project in the first place!!!
The full length of Phase II is ~3842’…Obern Trail to Via Senda – 0.72 mile…1281 yards…
$8MM cost…$6245/yard…$2082/ft…
Right now, about 55% of the 0.72 mi MUP is up on Modoc Road…from Obern Trail to where they want to veer into the Preserve between Clara Vista and Via Zorro…
Speaking of money…
Fellow Modoc Preservationists…if you want to help to keep this ecologically valuable open space from encroaching urban developers like Santa Barbara County and whoever comes next…please contribute to the Modoc Preserve Legal Fund to continue to help save these 100+ year old iconic, and historic, heritage trees before it’s too late. Everything helps!
You can also donate by check in name of MODOC PRESERVE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND…please EMAIL us for snail mailing details…
THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU!!!
Big shout out to everyone that has generously donated to this legal battle to save the Modoc Road trees and the Modoc Preserve by sending a check(s) or giving to our GoFundMe Modoc Preserve Legal Fund…
(Apologies if we have missed anyone…this doesn’t include all of the amazing folks that donated to our CHANGE.ORG Petition to SAVE MODOC ROAD TREES…5757 supporters).
Mahalos for the support…
