AnonymousBy Kevin Keating
Open letter to Hannah Beth Jackson and Monique Limon
I am a concerned citizen who regularly takes Highway 154 from Santa Barbara to Santa Ynez. I, along with those commenting in support below, are saying it is time for the county to *do something* to lessen the human and economic devastation regularly on State Highway 154. I have 2 common sense suggestions that are very easy to implement and one that would take a bit of engineering by the State.
On a regular basis, I see some of the most reckless driving examples, cars going 20+ mph over the speed limit, motorcycles and cars passing in the double yellow sections of the road.
I believe the State efforts to calm road rage have failed and have failed to avoid deadly accidents, such as the accident this past Friday, where a mother and her two children were senselessly killed when a driver crossed the double yellow line hitting them head-on and setting off a chain reaction that sparked a wildfire that could easily have grown out of control.
I am proposing that the County petition the state to do two things that will immediately make the 154 safer:
1. Lower the speed limit from 55 mph (we must take into account that most drivers exceed posted limits by 10mph which means people tend to go 65mph) to 45mph.
2. Install a highway divider at some of the hot spots for crossing the double yellow- mainly on straightaways. Such a divider would have prevented this accident. I realize this suggestion requires more study. But they need to start this process immediately as lives are senselessly being lost.
Additionally, I very much would like to emphasize that you immediately contact Alphabet (parent company of Google Maps) to immediately insist that they route all cars heading north of Santa Ynez/Los Olivos/Solvang (such as a trip to Pismo from LA) to stay on the 101. Currently, for a 5-10 min savings at most, unfamiliar drivers are coming off the 101 in both directions and driving at excessive speeds on our most dangerous road by far, a road that has on average an accident once every week or two and a fatal accident once every 3 months. we also had our most serious recent fire, the Whittier Fire caused by a passing driver pulling off the 154 and ignoring the brush. The lack of cell coverage is probably rather vexing to drivers using their phones to communicate or navigate while driving this winding, ever-changing road.
Our taxpayers in the county have had to bear the burden of the State’s incompetence- the human toll is massive in terms of deaths and maimings, but so is the economic toll of highway investigations, rescues, closures, wildfires caused by damaged cars exiting the roadway.
There will always be accidents but there is no reason to not try- at least for one year- a new lower speed limit of 45 mph for the San Marcos Pass (from the start of the 154 to Rancho San Marcos Golf Course). I have already done the math and that is a 10-mile stretch of road. Lowering the speed limit from 55 to 45 will only add 2.4 minutes to this accident-heavy section.
In common sense terms, lowering the posted limit manages expectations and raises the threshold for aggressive road rage type incidents. Moreover, lowering the speed by 10mph means a slower accident and is in effect a 20% reduction in the potential energy of any accidents that should occur. A slower speed also gives unsuspecting and inexperienced drivers more reaction time, something which should in itself lower the rate and severity of accidents.
Now, the State may wish to claim It has studied the situation and this is the best approach. However, their study has resulted in untold death, injuries, the unreliability of the highway itself, and financial cost to our county.
If the State refuses to change the speed limit I insist that we explore all level means to compel them to change the speed on this stretch, even if for one year. Again, it is a 2.4-minute loss of time.
Longer-term, having dividers in key straightaways will serve to calm drivers tempted to pass on double yellows, as just happened in the latest tragic accident.
In conclusion, I am confident that you can accomplish one of these aims immediately- demand that Google Maps reroute drivers passing through the Santa Ynez Valley to places north and south of it to the 101. I am hopeful you will also be able to do something to calm road rage and reduce the high energy collisions we are seeing weekly and monthly in the 154.
I am posting this as an open letter on Edhat, the only remaining news outlet locally that allows us to voice our opinions via the comments section and I am Calling on my fellow Edhat users to please comment below as a form of a petition to our local government to do something about this devastating problem. The 154 is a beautiful road that would be far safer and just as convenient at a lower speed and with less out of town drivers racing through it.
Thank you for your time and attention.
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Can we implore the Sheriff Brown to install a high tech system of traffic enforcement for this road? It’s obviously dangerous to pull over cars to ticket them along this stretch. Why not use some of the new technologies used on toll roads, etc to enforce the speed limit? (Radar, & cameras, etc) This madness has GOT TO STOP! Can we get a GOFUNDME to pay for it?
You will never get Google to change their recommendations to take 154…there is literally no one there to contact. An alternative might be large signs clearly warning that 154 is a dangerous undivided road and pointing back to the freeway onramps. Put one at each 101 offramp and 1 as you are entering 154, with a final sign at Foothill telling them through traffic, 101 only.
The algorithm wouldn’t have changed the outcome of this accident except for the Denali driver, because the other two drivers were locals. The one who caused the accident should have known better.
Speed limit reduction on San Marcos Pass will make it a less desirable choice and therefore take longer than staying on Highway 101. Does Google only measure miles or times traveled over similar distances?
LOL! “Sheriff Brown….??? ” The locals and commuters know how to drive on 154 in a sane manner. The problem lies with the fact that lots come to the SYV from LA and China who come to the wineries and Casino- Most have no clue how to drive a curvy laden mountain road with opposing traffic… You can’t fix STUPID.
Support 100%, especially installing highway dividers. Seems there is a horrific accident on the 154 every week these days, which is far too many. DO SOMETHING, LAWMAKERS!!!
Exactly. I keep seeing mention that out-of-towners are somehow to blame. Yet all of the heinous accidents I can recall in recent months were all local-involved.
If laws were made tougher things would change everywhere until you get tough on everything nothing will change anywhere.
I wouldn’t count on highway patrol to babysit 154. Forget it. With today’s high tech out there, why not installing cameras, radars, and catch violators with license plates? Don’t tell me you don’t they fine, heavily. They should double the fine whatever it is now.
These ideas create more danger. Lowering the speed increases traffic density, leading to more frantic, risky passing. Dividers create areas where emergency vehicles cant get past in traffic.
It’s a little early to be certain of the cause of this crash. We don’t know the antecedents to this accident and need to. Was this driver trying to pass a string of vehicles held up by a slow driver in the front? Was this an intentional act? Was he intoxicated? We really don’t know.
It is odd how the first thing people think of is lowering the speed limit. Which really makes little sense. The road was surveyed for 65 mph years ago, and a political move lowered it to 55 mph.
There are so many two lane road accidents that are due to impulsive, frustrated drivers, who are stacked up behind some person who should not be on a twisty road, or a semi which does not belong on that road.
You’ll note that the accidents have increased with the Chumash Casino’s success. Many more people are on it that don’t know it. But I have seen enough marginal drivers that are clearly unfamiliar and afraid of the road. The Chumash, CHP/CalTrans can do a lot by encouraging those visiting the casino to travel the long way around.
Before we decide speed is the issue, let’s see the CHP report.
I don’t know the real statistics, but I don’t have the impression that ‘out-of-towners’ have been overly responsible for 154 accidents. The driver who apparently caused this latest tragedy is from Santa Barbara.
The need is to guide the non-locals around 101 to 246, be it the Chumash Casino or camping at Lake Cachuma. You say this man was a local? I’ll bet he was being held up by a non-local in traffic. That is the main time I see people doing crazy things on the pass. We need to stories of witnesses.
The Chumash have a responsibility to guide their guests to take alternate routes rather than 154 over the pass.
The CHP has the responsibility to remove the obstacle drivers who NEVER pull over. If they need guidance on that, I’m happy to provide. How about tag teams, one CHP in a passing zone, and another up the highway a piece. And when an obstalce driver gasses it in the p-lane, only to obstruct traffic again in a curve, a little radio action could get that person a special citation.
I’ll bet all edhat reades could count on one finger the number of folks they’ve seen pulled over by the CHP with a train of 30 cars behind. I’ve been in that train. I’ve seen the CHP sitting on the other side of the road, doing nothing, but waiting for another speeder.
It’s about time the CHP paid as much attention to the cause as the result. Anyone on EdHat support that? Or are we too new law oriented to use common sense.
SB Natural hit the nail(s) on the head… Great post.
Please lower the speed limit on Hwy 154. This is long long long overdue.
Lower it to what? The speed limit is already 55. The trouble is with wacko drivers who think they own the road, drive like it’s NASCAR, and don’t blink an eye passing cars in double yellow line zones. I stick to 55, let all the crazies pile up behind me, then watch them play chicken with the other lane while they try to pass. People need to use common sense and drive as if their lives are at stake…because lives are!
SBNatural – Drivers like you are what causes these horrific accidents on 154. You seem to think that public roads are your own private racetrack. It is not illegal to go under the speed limit. It is illegal to go over the speed limit and it is definitely illegal to pass on a double yellow line or in the shoulder. If you are too immature to be patient with other members of the public (as in public roads), you should not get behind the wheel of a car and leave the driving to an adult.
You can petition all you want and plead for change, but there are state standards in which speed limits are set. Read the California Manual on Setting Speed Limits by CalTrans to better understand how posted speed is uniformly based on 85% speed, and the limitations for speed reduction (no more than 5pmh lower that what was first set near that 85% speed) It is proven that artificially setting the posted speed too low can be just as dangerous (and legally unenforceable) That said, there still can be improvement. No new posted speed will protect against the wreckless or drunks or in this case possible unstable/suicidal drivers.
hwy 154 the road needs to be closed and for use of locals only. send all the other people around on the freeway. the highway patrol can more easily control the traffic on hwy 101.that would make it much safer for the locals.
Not only was the driver suicidal and homicidal, it looks from photos that the area where he crashed into Vanessa’s car is the point where the passing lane merges back into one lane, just before the bridge. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen drivers racing like hell to get to the “front of the line” before it becomes a single lane again. ALL cars merging into the single lane are at an increased downhill speed, and EVERYONE ends up slamming on their brakes after merging to get on the bridge. It’s a mess and it’s dangerous. End the passing lane 1/4 mile earlier and put up a breakaway divider.
THREALBEBE – STOP. Just stop with the speculating about the driver. Don’t feed the trolls anymore rumors about this tragedy.
As someone who drives the Pass often I wholeheartedly would embrace more CHP enforcement. While speeding is obviously a problem, people (probably often tourists) going 35 mph and never using the turnouts is a problem that should be addressed (and ticketed!) too. Same with on the freeway. The people going 50 in the fast lane should be ticketed just the same as the people going 80. Let’s enforce rules on 154, it’s a start that doesn’t require any infrastructure, just a commitment to showing people that the CHP are on the road every day pulling problem drivers over.
What part of that was speculation?? The news clearly stated the driver is someone who was known to be suicidal and homicidal.
1:44 – what news said that? Some Independent article posted here yesterday? It didn’t even name him. STOP SPECULATING about tragedies this close to home. People know the family and read this. Have some respect.
I used to live at the top of San Marcos Pass and drive 154 every day. I drove the speed limit and always had a line of cars behind me. Going the speed limit, I wondered if I was expected to continually pull over so speeding cars could pass. Why on earth can’t the speed limit become 35 mph? In our age of madness and speed, why the rush? If the speed limit were 35, from my experience, you could expect most people to drive 55 mph. I don’t imagine anyone liking this idea. The reasons why I propose have to do with why our society is crazy. Rush. Rush. Rush. And for what?
Understand the vibe to lower the speed limit, but knowing people are crossing double yellows to go around people doing 55, how many more incidents do you think will happen at 45mph? Given the problems on 154, rather invest in having this stretch of road constantly monitored (daily) by traffic enforcement until the hotheads know they’ll be fined. Would also help if drivers did at least the speed limit.
To the commenter saying “just let the crazies stack up behind me” you’re the cause of the problem. Pull over, relax, let ’em go. To the commenter saying “Am I supposed to pull over every time?” the answer is YES. Relax. To the crazies who can’t wait an extra minute, Relax! To the people who are nervous about the road and nervous about the line of cars hanging on their bumper it’s ok to slow down and stop. They won’t hit you, they’ll heave a sigh of relief as you remove the impediment to their frantic progress.
A couple of stop lights and/or roundabouts would also reduce the overall speeds. Same design as the Armour Ranch/246/154 intersection? Perhaps built at the intersections of Paradise Road and also at Cachuma Lake?
Close the Cold Springs Bridge. Remove the incentive to get there in less time.
Putting flexible barriers down the middle of the road on the straight-a-ways is a great idea. So is a roundabout at Lake Cachuma. Paramount is a way to stop Google from routeing drivers onto 154 as a time-saver.
I think the person who cited CalTrans policies that would prevent lowering the speed limit may be correct, deathly as that policy may be (remember the justification for increasing the speed limit on Cathedral Oaks b/c it is a State Route and despite the fact that it curves through a residential neighborhood).
Wouldn’t it be better for this conversation if we had some facts? For example, according to this website 154 is not even close to the most deadly highways in CA: https://www.psblaw.com/deadliest-highway-stretches-california.html. Also, what is the current usage of the highway? Has it in fact become a much more heavily traveled route? Is this part of the perceived problem? If so, shouldn’t we know what is generating the increase? All of this has, I assume, been known and considered by the DOT and our pot shots notwithstanding, it may be that 154 is a relatively safe road after all.
RHS – your source for the ridiculous statement that the 154 is not dangerous, is a law firm’s website? Do you really put much faith in that? How about the FACT that almost every week there is a near fatal or fatal accident on the 154. I mean, those are facts, right? But no…. go ahead and publicly state that we are all overreacting and the 154 is not as dangerous as we think all because you looked for “facts” on the website of a personal injury law firm in LA. Good lord, please stop.
10:57–I did not say 154 is not dangerous. Please read my comment and understand that what I was advocating is informed discussion. (I realize that the website is a law firm’s site but the data is the issue. If you have another place that has such information please share it with us. And, by the way, anecdotal information such as you offer in this comment is not data.) Good lord?
RHS – You said “154 is not even close to the most deadly highways in CA.” You said “it may be that 154 is a relatively safe road after all.” So…. sure as shootin’ sound like you’re saying the 154 may not be as dangerous as we all make it out to be.
RHS I live off of 154 and drive it daily. I can see a large stretch from my kitchen window. I can tell you with 100% certainty that traffic on that road has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Most of this increase has occurred in the last 10. It is surprising though that there are not more accidents at night as long lines of trafffic snake down that road at all hours, especially between 11pm-2am. This is no doubt is casino traffic. Commuters are not traveling at that time. I don’t know what the solution is but something needs to change. I think saturating the highway with CHP and speed traps would do the trick. Like Kings City it would become known as the place not to speed. Increase the amount of speeding tickets on that road. If I received a $400 ticket for going 65 on the pass I would certainly never speed there again.
RHS – furthermore… “anecdotal information?” How about you tell that to the vicitms’ families? FACT: there are almost weekly fatal and near fatal accidents on the 154. Dispute that all you want.