Officials Told of Deadly Intersections

More than 100 residents crammed inside a small seaside fire station Saturday to voice concerns to state and county officials about a scenic stretch of Highway 101 that has been the site of fatal crashes.

The meeting, which some residents described as contentious, was called following a crash in Mussel Shoals last month that killed 30-year-old rock singer James Lynn Strait. Strait was the third person killed in a crash in that area last year.

The fatalities and dozens of other crashes have occurred at the freeway intersections at Mussel Shoals and La Conchita--gaps in the center divider that allow drivers to make turns into and out of each community by crossing freeway traffic.

Since the 1970s, residents have complained about the dangerous intersections and have written letters and made phone calls to officials demanding an interchange.

“There was a lot of frustration because the people who were there had been promised corrections to the road 30 years ago,” said Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, (D-Santa Barbara), whose district includes the beach communities.

The interchange, which would serve both communities, could cost more than $15 million. It would include an overpass, onramps and offramps. Such a project is slated for budget consideration in 2002, Jackson said.

In the meantime, residents and officials are seeking short-term solutions to make the roadway safer. One hotly contested idea is to seal off the intersections, forcing people to drive up to three miles out of their way to make a turn. The option is being considered by state officials.

“There is a very vocal group that does not want to inconvenience themselves. But it’s not those people who are getting killed. We have an obligation to the people of the state of California, not just those drivers,” said Gary Ethier, a California Department of Transportation engineer.

Other options include repainting pavement markings, installing raised reflectors and lengthening acceleration and deceleration lanes.