Despite receiving some forceful resistance from local officials, the Department of Transportation has started construction on a single-lane roundabout at the intersection of Highway 246 and La Purisima Road.
Drivers can expect delays in that area Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 3:30 p.m., Caltrans representatives said in a press release on Jan. 4. However, there won’t be any lane closures during commute hours from 6 to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:30 to 8 p.m. And all traffic lanes will remain open from Friday at 6 a.m. to Sunday at 9 p.m.
The speed limit in this area will be reduced to 45 miles per hour—and enforced by local CHP—to ensure worker and drive safety.
The roundabout has been a point of contention between Caltrans and local officials, especially Lompoc Mayor John Linn.
Linn has said in the past the project has numerous faults, primarily that it will threaten driver safety by suddenly slowing traffic by more than 30 miles per hour.
Linn, along with 4th District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joni Gray and Buellton Mayor Ed Andreski, sent letters protesting the project to Caltrans and other government
officials—to no avail.
“Yeah, they’re going to build the piece of shit,” Linn told the Sun in a recent interview. “All I can say is that it’s going to create a lot of business for the tow companies and the auto body shops, and hopefully not the mortuary.
“But [Caltrans District 5 Director Richard] Krumholz wants it—that’s the only reason I can see why they’re doing it,” he said.
Caltrans representatives maintain the roundabout will improve driver safety at the intersection by reducing the number of collisions at all hours, and will improve air quality in the area because there won’t be any idling vehicles at the intersection.
“I believe there is a small group of people alleging non-compliance, including the mayor of Lompoc,” Martinez told the Sun in October. “We’ve sent letters explaining the benefits of the project … and we’ve adequately addressed all of the issues per CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act].”
Granite Construction Inc. of Santa Barbara is building the $1.3 million project, which is expected to be completed in summer 2013.
This article appears in Jan 12-19, 2012.
