Updated by the edhat staff
February 4, 2024

Below is an updated list of traffic incidents as of Sunday, February 4:

8:15 p.m. – Crash Near Casitas Pass
Highway 101 northbound near Casitas Pass Road a vehicle crashed into the center divider. No injuries.

8:00 p.m. – the City of Goleta reports the following:
Due to downed trees and the potential for more to fall, the City has closed Ellwood Mesa open space area until further assessments can be made.

The following roads and parking lots have been closed or remain closed due to downed trees, flooding, and/or safety precautions.

• New – Cathedral Oaks one lane between Cambridge Drive and Arundel Road
• Cathedral Oaks Road between Winchester Canyon and Calle Real
• Storke Road in both directions from Santa Felicia Drive to Phelps Road
• Stow House / Lake Los Carneros parking lot
• Stow Grove Park parking lot
• Butterfly Grove parking lot on Hollister Avenue across from Ellwood School

The Santa Barbara Airport is closed due to flooding on the airfield. All commercial flights are cancelled. For more information visit https://flysba.santabarbaraca.gov/.

MTD has suspended bus service for the remainder of today (February 4). Service is scheduled to resume tomorrow, February 5 on a Sunday schedule. https://sbmtd.gov/

7:00 p.m. – Tepusquet Road Closure
Trees down in the 5200 block of Tepusquet Road.

6:35 p.m. – Traffic Collision at Mariposa Reina
Highway 101 southbound near Mariposa Reina, a gray sedan crashed into the guardrail/center divider with possible injury.

4:15 p.m. – SR-144 Closed Near Sycamore Canyon
State Route 144 is closed in both directions from near the Sycamore Creek Canyon Bridge to the Junction with State Route192 in Santa Barbara County due to mud slide activity. There is no estimate for opening, per Caltrans

4:00 p.m. – Bell Road Closure
SR-135 and Bell Road in Los Alamos closed.

2:58 p.m. – Highway 101 at Casitas Pass Road
Traffic collision on Highway 101 north, just north of Casitas Pass Road, per CHP.

2:56 p.m. – Crash near the 154/246 Roundabout
Single vehicle crash on SR-154 just west of the SR-246 roundabout. A blue Tesla spun out and hit the hillside. No injuries, per CHP.

2:36 p.m. – Refugio Road Closure
Hard closure at Refugio Road and Calle Real due to river overflowing and running across the roadway, per CHP.

2:10 p.m. – Tree Down on Highway 101 at Cabrillo Blvd
A tree is down blocking the Cabrillo Blvd onramp to Highway 101 northbound, per CHP.

2:08 p.m. – Crash Over Side of Highway 101 at Nojoqui Summit
A vehicle crashed over the side of Highway 101’s southbound lanes. The vehicle reportedly flipped off the freeway and into the creek. Report of injury, per CHP.

2:00 p.m. the City of Goleta reported the following roads and parking lots closed due to downed trees, flooding, and/or safety precautions.

• Cathedral Oaks Road between Winchester Canyon and Calle Real
• Storke Road in both directions from Santa Felicia Drive to Phelps Road
• Stow House / Lake Los Carneros parking lot
• Stow Grove Park parking lot
• Butterfly Grove parking lot on Hollister Avenue across from Ellwood School
• Now Open – Calle Real between Kellogg Avenue and Maravilla

1:57 p.m. – Crash at Highway 101 and Broadway
Three vehicle collision on Highway 101 northbound at the Broadway Street offramp in Santa Maria. Three pickup trucks collided, all in the center divider, per CHP. No injuries.

1:56 p.m. – Flooding at Gaviota Rest Area
Roadway flooding at Highway 101 north and the Gaviota Rest Area. Parks officer called in a vehicle stuck in the water with an occupant still inside, per CHP.

1:31 p.m. – Crash on Highway 101 at Nojoqui Summit
A traffic collision in the southbound lanes of Highway 101 just south of the Nojoqui Summit in Gaviota. Solo traffic crash, a white sedan overturned and is on its roof. Female driver out of the vehicle, unclear if any injuries, per CHP.

1:30 p.m. Highway 1 Lane Flooding
One lane is completely flooded on Highway 1 near Rancho San Julian. This is located on the bridge near Alamo Creek Road, per CHP.

12:52 p.m. – Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria
Power lines are down at the intersection of Foxen Canyon Road and Phillbric. Roadway is closed and PG&E are on the scene, per CHP.

12:44 p.m. – Santa Rosa Road in Buellton
At 7290 Santa Rosa Road near Peake Ranch Winery in Bulleton, a tree is down blocking the roadway, per CHP.

11:05 a.m. – Betteravia in Santa Maria
On Highway 101 northbound between Clark and Betteravia Roads in Santa Maria, a tree is down, per CHP.

10:57 a.m. – Storke Road in Goleta
Tree Blocking Storke Rd. at Fire Station 11. City of Goleta just arrived on scene to assess the removal. Storke Rd closed in both directions at Santa Felicia Rd. / Phelps Rd, per Santa Barbara County Fire Department

10:46 a.m. – Highway 101 at Highway 154
A full sized tree is down across the entire roadway on Highway 101 south, about two or three miles north of the SR-154 interchange in Buellton, per CHP.

10:42 a.m. – SR-246 in Buellton
Highway 246 at Buell Flats, tree partially down and blocking the eastbound lane in Buellton, per CHP.

10:29 a.m. – Highway 101 at Olive Mill Road
Highway 101 south, just south of the Olive Mill Road exit in Montecito, there is a traffic hazard in the roadway. CHP to conduct a traffic break southbound at Hot Springs Road, per CHP.

10:26 a.m. – Rancho Maria Golf Course
On Highway 1 in Santa Maria, traffic hazard is blocking both lanes near the entrance to the Rancho Maria Golf Course, per CHP.

10:15 a.m. – Gaviota Tunnel
Multiple signs down in the roadway of Highway 101 northbound at the Gaviota Tunnel. One large metal sign is in the number two lane, per CHP.

9:30 a.m. – Santa Maria 
Tree down blocking the northbound lanes of SR-135 at Batchelder Road. One southbound lane is also blocked, per CHP.

7:11 a.m. – New Cuyama
Highway 166 is closed due to a downed power pole, reported 5 miles east of New Cuyama at 7:11 a.m. Sunday. Strong winds across Santa Barbara County are increasing incidents related to downed trees and power lines, per Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Caltrans maintenance team is responding to a tree which fell from near Highway 101 onto Calle Real in Goleta this [Sunday] morning. As of 2:00 p.m. the roadway is now open.

As a reminder, northbound Highway 101/SR-217 on-ramp at Patterson Avenue in Goleta will be closed from Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 am to Friday, Feb 9 at 3 pm due to storm activity in the area.

Updated road conditions can be found here: https://cad.chp.ca.gov/Traffic.aspx

Highway 101 Flooded in Ventura & More Storm-Related Road Issues

Highway 101 southbound flooded in Ventura on February 1, 2024 (Photo by Peter V)

By the edhat staff
February 1, 2024

An edhat reader reports the southbound lanes of Highway 101 are flooded in Ventura as of 9:00 a.m. Thursday. Motorists had to drive on the shoulder of the road to get through.

CHP shut down lanes and onramps near California Street to prevent vehicles from attempting to drive through the area.

The northbound Thompson offramp and Sanjon offramps are also closed.

On Highway 101 northbound at the Nojoqui Summit near Gaviota there’s a traffic collision causing delays in the area.

CHP reports a reckless driver was speeding around 1:30 p.m. prior to the collision and there’s a report of a vehicle over the side of the road. Emergency responders are on the scene.