County Grand Jury resumes
After a six-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury has been sworn in. The 2021 Grand Jury is available to investigate any concerns community residents may have about government entity operations or officials in the cities or Santa Barbara County. The jury wants to hear from you.
Please visit the Grand Jury website, www.sbcgj.org, and review reports prior juries have published along with the responses from the appropriate agencies. If a citizen has a specific “Request for Investigation” in mind, there is a form on the website that an individual may complete and submit for consideration.
The Grand Jury is a division of the Superior Court and keeps watch over numerous government agencies and districts in Santa Barbara County.
State invests $571M in expanded transit, bicycle and pedestrian routes
The California Transportation Commission (CTC) today allocated more than $571 million to address transportation needs throughout the state, an investment that will help repair highways and bridges and enhance California’s growing network of mass transit, bicycle and pedestrian routes.
“Expanding access to safe walkways, bicycle routes and convenient transit options, in addition to maintaining our highways, advances the state’s efforts to address climate change and improve the quality of life for all Californians,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin.
Projects approved in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties include:
A $3 million allocation to install a Transportation Management System which will include electronic message boards, closed-circuit television cameras and traffic loop detectors on Highway 101 from north of Reservoir Canyon Road to north of the Paso Robles Overhead and on Highway 46 West between Theater Drive and Union Road in San Luis Obispo County. This project will help reduce congestion and improve operational efficiency.
The use of this technology on the state highway system will provide useful real-time information to travelers,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Tim Gubbins.
Funding for the projects approved today comes from federal and state gas taxes, including more than $159 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. To learn more about SB 1 projects in your community, visit Rebuilding California – Senate Bill 1.
