Thousand Steps Repair Project Starts March 28

The Thousand Steps repair project will start later this month, the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department announced today. Beginning Monday, March 28, the beach stairway will be fenced and closed to public access. The project will take approximately two months to complete.

"Thousand Steps is one of three public beach access stairways we have in Santa Barbara," said Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary. "This major repair project will make sure the people of Santa Barbara have safe access to the beach from the street level for decades to come."

The City of Santa Barbara built the Thousand Steps beach stairway, originally called Camino a Mar, almost 100 years ago in 1925. Ocean waves wash over the lower steps constantly; over time, this has eroded the stairs and made them dangerous to use. The winter waves wash away sand each year, leaving a significant drop-off to the beach.

As part of the Thousand Steps repair project, the Parks and Recreation Department will make significant repairs, including:

• Demolishing and rebuilding the lower 14 steps.
• Replacing the bottom section of the stairways and adding ten new concrete steps. These new steps will extend below the sand for better access during seasonal changes to the sand level.
• Installing new handrails along the stairway.
• Adding a new concrete guard rail at the middle landing.
• Improving the drainage system to help lessen the growth of algae that makes the steps slippery.

No access to the beach will be available in the immediate area during the project. Two other nearby beach access stairways will remain open.

• Mesa Lane Steps

 At the end of Mesa Lane

• Shoreline Steps

Access from within Shoreline Park. To find the entrance to Shoreline Steps, look for the Japanese Torii gate along the end of the cliff, closer to the eastern Shoreline Park parking lot.

To find out more or sign up for this project's email list, please visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ThousandSteps.

About the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department

The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department proudly maintains a wide range of parks, facilities, and programs designed to serve the community's needs.

Our mission is to:

• Provide clean and safe parks, beaches, and recreation facilities,
• Enhance Santa Barbara's beauty,
• Promote stewardship of resources,
• Provide quality recreation and cultural experiences and community services, and
• Improve the quality of life for Santa Barbara residents.

To learn more about the Parks and Recreation Department, please visit the City of Santa Barbara website at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParksAndRec. To keep up with all things SB Parks and Rec, sign up for our email list at bit.ly/LoveParksAndRec, or follow @sbparksandrec on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Please reach out to us with questions or suggestions any time at ParksAndRec@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or (805) 564-5418.