blazer
By Blazer
The end of Cone Watch 2022 has arrived in Carpinteria. A shiny new carpool lane running in both directions on Hwy 101 from Bailard to Santa Claus Lane has been installed. Drivers have 3 lanes to do as they please outside of rush hours, morning and afternoon commuters will need at least two people in the car in order to drive in the diamond lane. Penalty for non compliance is $401.
Members of the CalTrans team along with every size and shape of politician from Ventura to Buellton were on hand to cut the ribbon commemorating the occasion. This slow moving inconvenience that has been part of our lives for a decade will continue until the three lanes in either direction are completed from Montecito to the North border of Carpinteria.
Congressman Salud Carbajal, First District Supervisor Das Williams, State Senator Monique Limon, Carpinteria Mayor Wade Nomura and Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse plus a host of others were on hand.
Still needed to complete the project that would widen the freeway through Montecito is a cool $200 million. All elected officials attending were confident that we can find that money from infrastructure funds and promised to do their best to keep the project on time and on budget.
No mention of the irony of closing an onramp Northbound in Carpinteria to announce the opening of a lane on the freeway. Happy commuting people.
