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Presidents' Day Holiday Observed Feb. 16 | Día de los Presidentes observado el 16 de feb.

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Arial View of downtown Santa Barbara and the Riviera
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Helicopter Operations & Utility Upgrades in Riviera Neighborhood

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Southern California Edison (SCE) will conduct critical energy grid upgrades in the Riviera Neighborhood on Friday, February 13, using helicopter operations to install five (5) new utility poles. This effort is part of an ongoing initiative to modernize infrastructure and reduce wildfire risk. 

The City appreciates the community’s patience and understanding and asks that, for everyone’s safety, you keep a safe distance from work zones and respect crews as they complete these essential improvements.

Helicopter Operations
Friday, February 13, 2026
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
North and south of Alameda Padre Serra,
east of Garcia Road and west of Las Alturas Road.

What’s Happening:

  • Helicopter Operations: Required for pole installation; affected residences must be completely vacated during flights for safety.
  • Temporary Resident Evacuation: Some residents located directly within the operational zone have been asked by SCE to evacuate their homes during helicopter operations for safety; SCE is leading all direct communications with those affected households.
  • Road Closures & Outages: Temporary road closures, traffic controls in effect. Scheduled outages may occur.
  • Noise & Visual Impact: Surrounding neighbors may experience increased noise and will see a low-flying helicopter in the area during project work hours.
  • Work Activity: SCE crews and contractors will be working in various locations in the Riviera Neighborhood.

Street Closures:
Traffic control signage has been posted in affected areas to support safe and efficient operations. For the community’s safety, avoid these areas while work is underway. 

  • Full road closure: Roble Lane
  • Full road closure: De La Guerra Terrace
  • Intermittent traffic control: De La Guerra Road, from Alameda Padre Serra to East De La Guerra Street, will be open intermittently, with flagging and traffic stops as needed.
  • Intermittent traffic control: Alameda Padre Serra will also remain open intermittently.

Streets will reopen and signage will be removed once the work is complete.