Safe Routes to School, Tatum Trail

Safe Routes to School, Tatum Multi-Use Trail Project County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Works Submittal for Award January 29, 2015. For: California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, and County Engineers Association of California Project Safety: The County of Santa Barbara, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, recently completed the construction of the Safe Routes to School Tatum Multi-Use Trail Project. The new path connects El Camino Elementary School with previously isolated neighborhoods to the east. This project replaced an existing narrow, wooded, uneven dirt pathway that was often flooded and impassable during rainfall events. The new path is a 10 feet wide and 1,300 feet long, all-weather asphalt surface that accommodates pedestrians and bicyclists. Project Sustainability The new route connects unimproved lot in the Eastern Goleta Valley. When the existing trail was flooded, the alternative route involved a detour of approximately two-thirds of a mile. The project also included drainage improvements against future flooding, with rapid drainage features useful in heavy rainfall events. The pre-constriction dirt trail was an unofficial, unimproved school access route serving the students of El Camino Elementary School to the west and San Marcos High School to the east of the project. The majority of the project was constructed on property owned by the Santa Barbara Unified School District, who entered into a cooperative agreement with the County Public Works Department to develop this project. Total Construction Costs The construction contract was awarded to Rockwood General Contractors, Inc., of Arroyo Grande, California. Total construction contract costs are approximately $170,000.00. Construction was completed between July 7 and August 4, 2014 during school summer recess to minimize impacts on school accessibility.