
Funding Will Allow City to Move Forward with Construction of Long-Awaited Project
The City of Goleta is the recipient of $11.16 million dollars in funding via the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. A press conference was held by Congressman Salud Carbajal in January – watch it here. This grant funding allows Goleta to move forward with the construction of the San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path Project which when completed will connect the community in a way that did not exist previously.
Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We are overjoyed that the City of Goleta was awarded this significant grant which allows us to carry out the long-awaited vision of connecting the northern Goleta neighborhoods to Old Town and the beach. Thank you to the Goleta staff who never gave up on this project, who took the initiative to apply and secure this grant and to the U.S. Department of Transportation for seeing the value of this impactful project.”
The $11.16 million in federal dollars in addition to the $15.29 million already received from the Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant will help to close the funding gap needed for project construction and will lighten the burden on local funding. However, as a condition of the grant the City will provide up to 20 percent of the overall construction cost through a combination of sources including various development impact fees and future bond proceeds.
This project will build a separated and dedicated multipurpose underpass through US 101, the Union Pacific railroad tracks, and State Route 217 to eliminate a barrier and connect residents located in Old Town Goleta to education, employment, housing, services, and amenities in the north and south. The project will create a new Class I bicycle path and pedestrian amenities and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along adjacent high-volume arterials and freeway underpasses with inconsistent infrastructure. The project will also create a new connection for the surrounding street network, offering residents, for the first time, direct access to the grocery stores, health care services, green spaces, schools, employment, and recreational opportunities located in the north of the city, directly across the highway.
Congressman Salud Carbajal said, “I’m proud to see the Reconnecting Communities program, created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, delivering this substantial award to Goleta for this multipurpose path project – part of more than $1 billion this landmark law has invested so far in our region. This award will improve Goleta’s sense of community and connectivity – while keeping Central Coast pedestrians safe.”
The City of Goleta is one of 25 California cities to receive a combined total of $258 million for transportation infrastructure upgrades from three programs that were part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the RCP grant. The RCP focuses on improving access to daily needs such as jobs, education, health care, food, nature, and recreation.
Learn more about the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program at https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting.
For more information on the San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path Project click here.
Pictured above: Congressman Carbajal and Goleta City Council Walking on the San Jose Creek Multipurpose Path at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park