Los Patos Underpass Removal Project

As part of the Caltrans U.S. 101 High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and Widening Project’s 4E North Segment, the Highway 101 southbound off-ramp at Los Patos Way will permanently close. Once the off-ramp is closed, the Los Patos Underpass Removal Project (Project) will remove and replace the Union Pacific Railroad’s (UPRR) Bridge No. 51-0235 with fill material, and reinstall the tracks on the new fill, eliminating the need for a bridge. The roadway through the undercrossing will be removed and replaced with drought tolerant landscaping. The roadway beyond the off-ramp will become a cul-de-sac.

A temporary shoofly track will be constructed north of the existing tracks to allow continued train operation during construction. The shoofly will be built once the retaining walls for the new Cabrillo/Highway 101 on/off ramps are constructed as part of the U.S. 101 HOV and Widening Project’s 4E North Segment. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027 and end in 2029.

The removal of the underpass and closure of the Los Patos Way off-ramp is a necessary safety measure to remove an attractive nuisance and receive approval to reconstruct the UPRR Bridge over Cabrillo Boulevard. The widened bridge over Cabrillo Boulevard will facilitate widened roadways, bike lanes, and multi-use path on both sides of Cabrillo Boulevard, improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers connecting to the Eastside, Montecito, and the Waterfront. 

Notice of Preparation (NOP)

CEQA Initial Study

Notice of Availability (NOA)

Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR)

Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR)

Appendices

Rendering

Notice of Determination (NOD)

Notice of Determination (NOD)

The City of Santa Barbara Planning Commission approved the Los Patos Underpass Removal Project on November 6, 2025. Following the 10-day appeal period, a Notice of Determination (NOD) was filed with the following determinations:
1.    The Project will have a significant effect on the environment. 
2.    An Environmental Impact Report was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA 
3.    Mitigation measures were made a condition of the approval of the project. 
4.    A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was adopted for this project. 
5.    A statement of Overriding Considerations was adopted for this project. 
6.    Findings were made pursuant to the provisions of CEQA. 

Previous Actions

Final Environmental Impact Report
The Final EIR was prepared following a 45-day public comment period and includes responses to public comments on the Draft EIR, as well as revisions to the Draft EIR and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program based on feedback from the Planning Commission. 

Printed copies of the Final EIR are available for review at the following locations:

City of Santa Barbara, Public Works Permit Counter
630 Garden Street 
Santa Barbara, California 93101   

The Permit Counter is located in the Community Development/Public Works Building at 630 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, California. The Public Counter is open for walk-in services Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. On Wednesdays, the counter is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – no appointment needed.

Santa Barbara Public Library 
40 East Anapamu Street 
Santa Barbara, California 93101 

Santa Barbara Public Library hours are 10:00 a.m.to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Draft Environmental Impact Report
The City of Santa Barbara, acting as the lead agency, prepared a Draft EIR for the Project. The Draft EIR analyzes the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In accordance with Section 15087 of the CEQA Guidelines, the City prepared a NOA to provide responsible agencies and other interested parties with notice of the availability of the Draft EIR and to solicit comments and concerns regarding the environmental issues associated with the proposed Project.

Significant Environmental Effects
The Draft EIR analyzed environmental impacts to biological resources and cultural resources, hazards and hazardous materials, land use and planning, visual and cumulative impacts, and other CEQA required analysis. The Draft EIR identified:

• Significant and unavoidable environmental effects related to biological resources and land use and planning due to the number of tree removals required for the Project, and significant and unavoidable environmental effects related to cultural resources and visual impacts due to the removal of the Los Patos Rail Bridge;
• Impacts related to hazards and hazardous materials and biological resources would be less than significant with mitigation incorporated; and
• Impacts to all other environmental topic areas as identified by Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines would be less than significant or less than significant.

The Project site does not contain sites listed on hazardous substances databases/lists enumerated under Section 65962.5 of the Government Code.

Initial Study
The City is the Lead Agency under the CEQA. The Initial Study showed that the Project may have a potentially significant effect on the following resources:

• Aesthetics;
• Biological Resources;
• Cultural and Tribal Cultural Resources (removal of Structure of Merit);
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials; and
• Land Use and Planning (removal of Structure of Merit)

An EIR was prepared to evaluate these potential effects.

Notice of Preparation
The City has prepared a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to inform agencies and interested parties that an EIR would be prepared for the Project. This NOP solicited guidance from regulatory agencies regarding the scope and content of environmental information related to the agencies’ statutory responsibilities in the EIR. The agencies will use the EIR when considering the permits or other approvals related to the proposed Project. The NOP offered an opportunity for interested parties to inform the City regarding environmental issues they feel should be addressed in the EIR. 

Previous Meetings:

Planning Commission

A Public Hearing was held November 6, 2025, at City Hall for the Planning Commission to certify the EIR and approve the Coastal Development Permit.

A Public Hearing was held on May 1, 2025, at City Hall for members of the public and the Planning Commission to provide comments regarding the adequacy of the environmental analysis in the Draft EIR. All comments have been responded to in the Final EIR.

Historic Landmarks Commission
The Historic Landmark Commission reviewed and provided comments on the Cultural Resources Section of the Draft EIR on April 23, 2025. All comments have been responded to in the Final EIR.

Public Scoping Meeting
A Public Scoping Meeting was held on October 24, 2024, at the Palm Park Beach House for interested parties to comment on the Scope of the Project’s focused EIR, as described in the CEQA Initial Study circulated with the NOP. All comments have been responded to in the Draft EIR. 

45-Day Public Comment Period (Closed)

The 45-day public review period for the Draft EIR commenced on Friday, April 11, 2025, and closed on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. A response to comments was provided in the Final EIR.