Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition

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The Pro Bike/Pro Walk 98 Conference took place in Santa Barbara on September 8-11, 1998. There were several bike rides for the 520 conference participants led by members of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, the local advocacy group that helped host the international event. This is one of those rides that anybody can enjoy. They all start and end at the DoubleTree Pro Bike/Pro Walk Conference hotel, but you can pick them up anywhere along the route.

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Santa Barbara Westside Bike Ride

photo of train

The Ortega Street bike/pedestrian bridge is one of three in Santa Barbara that crosses the 101 freeway and the Railroad. One of the Surfliner bicyclist-friendly trains is passing. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

Highlights of the Ride

1. Undercrossing of Highway 101. This freeway undercrossing offers bicyclists and pedestrians with open views, plantings, minimal drop, no freeway ramps, and sidewalks raised above the roadway.

2. Paseo Nuevo. This shopping center is a redevelopment project covering two city blocks. Anchored by Nordstroms and Macy's, it has underground parking and open space where a city street was closed off.

3. One-way couplet streets. Two decades ago, Santa Barbara decided to help bicyclists by installing bike lanes on two parallel streets. Their idea was to remove parking from one side to allow two traffic lanes plus one bike lane, but residents preferred keeping all parking and only one traffic lane.

4. Ortega Street overcrossing. This is one of three heavily-used bicycle/pedestrian overcrossings within the City of Santa Barbara. They all connect residential areas with Downtown shopping and jobs.

5. Wentworth traffic calming. An effort to improve the appearance and reduce traffic speeds on Wentworth Avenue resulted in planting trees within the street between parking places.

6. Westside playground. Again responding to the need for neighborhood recreation, Santa Barbara tucked a small playground into a lot formerly owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad.

7. Pershing Park bikepath. Designed, funded, and ready to be built in 2001, a proposed bicycle path would have conneed the Westside residential area with the Cabrillo Beachway. Nearby seasonal wetlands and other environmental challenges were sufficient, however, to stop it.

8. Charter boats at Sea Landing. Charter boats from the Sea Landing marina offer opportunities for fishing, diving, sightseeing, and sunset dinner cruises. Trips range from an hour around the Harbor to several days on the Channel Islands.

9. Cabrillo Beachway. Originally called the "Cabrillo Bikeway," this 3-mile long concrete path offers scenic off-street recreation and commuting. On weekends and all summer afternoons, it is jammed with people engaged in multiple forms of recreation.


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Route sheet

At Mile
Distance
Bicycle
Direction
Name of Street or Path Distance
on Street
  START   DoubleTree Resort entrance  
0.0 east   DoubleTree entry drive 0.1
0.1 R   Calle Puerto Vallerta 0.1
0.2 R   cross street & lawn, R on bike path 0.9
1.0 R   State Street (at Dolphin Fountain) 0.7
1.7 L   Ortega Street 0.5
2.2 S   enter bike bridge 0.1
2.3 L   Wentworth Avenue 0.2
2.5 L   Coronel Place 0.0
2.5 R   Rancheria Street 0.2
2.7 L   Montecito Street 0.1
2.8 R   Castillo Street 0.3
3.1 L   Cabrillo Boulevard 0.1
3.2 R   across from Bath Street 0.0
3.2 L   immediately enter bike path 1.2
4.4 L   Calle Puerto Vallerta 0.1
4.5 L   DoubleTree entry 0.1
4.6 END   DoubleTree Resort entrance  

R=right    L=left    S=straight

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Map

small map

For a large printable version of this map, click here.

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Select another Pro Bike ride:

Channel Drive
Casa de la Guerra
Eastside Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Mission
Montecito Village
El Presidio
City College
Westside Santa Barbara
Stearns Wharf
Eastern Montecito
South Coast Tour