Santa Barbara Putting $1.2 Million to Use in Sidewalk Renovations
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. Residents living in the area of Calle Puerto Vallarta and Milpas at Santa Barbara will be happy to hear that the city council of Santa Barbara approved a contract of over $1.2 million to build ramps and sidewalks along with adding landscaping and lights to the area located between Cabrillo Boulevard and Indio Muerto. Improvements will also be made at the railroad crossing owned by the Union Pacific at Milpas. Objectives from the master plans for pedestrians and bicyclists will also be addressed.
Project Details
The project, slated to begin in the middle of November, will be handled by Lash Construction, a company based in the city, which won the bid for the construction project over four other companies. Missing sections of sidewalk will be completed, which is particularly important for residents to safely walk and provides better access for children to reach nearby schools. Most of the project funding is being provided by a state program grant for Active Transportation. The rest is funded by a combination of a public works program and funds from the program for maintenance of traffic signals. Traffic signals are a large part of the project cost, according to the city engineer, Brian D’Amour.
Project Cost Higher Than Anticipated
Costs for the project went up because of several factors. One was that the city staff discovered that the costs would be higher due to improvements made at the nearby railroad crossing and requirements for stormwater treatment. In addition, one of the local commercial property owners needed to relocate their onsite parking, which the project decided to trade for frontage along Milpas. However, one local resident said that the area was dangerous for walkers at night. With the number of people accessing the local park, sidewalks were necessary, particularly after dark, because it was difficult for motorists to spot walkers.
Making Cities Safer
The need for safer streets and sidewalks is an ongoing struggle for many cities. Pedestrians often find it hard to get to their destination when they have don’t have complete passage due to gaps in the existing sidewalk structures, making them use the street. This is particularly difficult for the disabled. For all pedestrians, the new plans make it less likely they will be involved in an accident, leading to catastrophic injuries such as brain injury or death.
Lighting and Safety
When city streets and sidewalks are dark, it is easier for pedestrians to be injured, even when crossing at a designated crosswalk. In addition, it increases the possibility that motorists will not be able to see pedestrians who are forced to walk in the street due to missing or poorly maintained sidewalks. Enhancing city lighting in these areas will make it possible for the local residents to feel safe.
Santa Barbara Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara car accident lawyer. If you have suffered an injury due to negligence or a family member has been injured, give me a call at (805) 372-0200 for my advice, which is free and friendly. Toll-free, dial (800) 404-5400. On my website, autoaccident.com, you can use the online contact form, and I will get back to you promptly.
Feedback from prior clients is located at Yelp, Google and at Avvo. My webpage, titled Settlements and Verdicts, offers additional helpful information about my law practice.
As a long-time member of the Million Dollar Advocates, I am one of the trial lawyers represented by this group who have garnered $1 million or over for clients at trial or at settlement.
It’s been my honor to have served the people of Santa Barbara and the surrounding county as an injury lawyer since 1982, helping them obtain compensation for their wrongful death cases and severe injuries.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/taxi-cab-taxicab-taxi-cab-new-york-238478/
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