San Ysidro Road Roundabout Ribbon Cutting

The $18.3 million construction projects for the roundabouts at San Ysidro Road and Olive Mill Road received their own special celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches, Recognition Certificates from elected officials, and press on Thursday, May 2. The celebration was set up on the upper sidewalk area around the northbound entrance ramp (now closed) across from the San Ysidro Road Roundabout. 

The event commenced with an introduction by Lauren Bianchi Klemann, SBCAG Government Affairs/Public Information Manager and Westmont College graduate. She was followed by remarks from the City of Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades, SBCAG Board Chair Steve Lavagnino, First District County Supervisor Das Williams, the Montecito Association Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, and presenting Certificates of Recognition the offices of Assemblymember 37th District Gregg Hart, CA Senator 19th District Monique Limón, and Congressman 24th District Salud Carbajal. A moment during Lavagnino’s remarks was a cyclist who whizzed by in front of him at the podium, to which Lavagnino chuckled and said, “Right on… except the dismount, not really giving credit for that!” See videos for all speakers and the ribbon cutting on the MJ website and YouTube Channel.

After the remarks, the official ribbon cutting took place with Rowse and Eades sharing the scissors, supported by all the team leaders, staff and project workers. 

Attendees included Caltrans District 5 Project Manager Joe Arnold, SB City Council Members Oscar Gutierrez, District 3; Kristen Sneddon, District 4 – Olive Mill Roundabout and CVR; Beth Sullivan, Executive Director of the Coast Village Road Improvement Association, Brad Welch,SB County Sheriff’s Department Commander; David Neels,Montecito Fire Chief; CHP representatives; the Bucket Brigade; Kirsten Ayars, Principal of Ayars & Associates; Chris Sneddon, SB Public Works Department Director, the project worker teams, and the general public.

These two major road projects that started in 2023 are slated to be fully completed this May with Southern California Edison energizing electrical meters at the Olive Mill Roundabout on May 7. They are said to be completed early due to funding from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments and are preferably in alignment with being done prior to the major 101 Freeway upgrades. The design and permitting were handled by SB City and SB County departments, and in collaboration with Caltrans.