Santa Maria River Levee Trail

Santa Maria River Levee Trail

The proposed project consists of a series of to-be-determined design improvements to an existing 6.7-mile-long segment of the south bank of the Santa Maria River Levee that stretches from the eastern terminus of the Tom Urbanske Multi-Purpose Trail in the City of Santa Maria to the western terminus in the City of Guadalupe at Peralta Street (proposed project). The entire 6.7-mile stretch of trail is within unincorporated Santa Barbara County. An alternative connection under consideration at the Guadalupe access point would extend the trail under the railroad crossing connecting to 12th Street near State Route 1. Based on the outcome of the 2022 trail study, the goal of proposed project is to expand and improve public access and provide an alternative east-west active transportation corridor. The trail will provide an alternative to State Route 166, which is heavily used by freight, farming, and commercial vehicles and not a good alternative for bicycles and pedestrians. Extending the levee trail and completing the City’s beach route would provide a safe, alternative route for pedestrians and bicyclists from Santa Maria all the way to the beach. The project will consider a crossing at Bonita School Road and a connection point to a new bridge with bicycle and pedestrian facilities to be constructed across the river, better connecting to nearby cities in southern San Luis Obispo County. It would serve to enhance regional connectivity by providing a safe separated route to the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1), a popular route used by recreational cyclists traveling throughout California. The final design details of the trail improvements, including trail surface materials, security lighting and fencing, and other trail user amenities, will be developed in coordination with the County’s consultant team, as well as County Public Works staff, the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, the County Sheriff’s Office, the County Flood Control District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition, the County will continue its community engagement efforts on the project. The County seeks to ensure a safe, equitable, and user-friendly trail design that limits conflicts with private property owners and avoids environmental effects to the extent feasible.

Guadalupe, Santa Maria

Santa Barbara

Countywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 5 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Energy Commission, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Coast Region 3 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, District 6, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance, California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW)

California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW)

Recreational (6.7-mile bicycle/pedestrian trail on an existing levee facility.), Other (Flood Control Levee)

Site Plan

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Noise, Recreation, Solid Waste, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Flood Control Levee