City and Region: Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is often called the American Riviera. It is sunny and warm year round, and has beautiful landscape and architecture. This Pacific beach community has free public access to all beach areas and many neighborhood and regional parks, great weather, beautiful scenery, and an incredible downtown area.
Santa Barbara combines a small town feel with big city amenities. Residents enjoy a good mix of restaurants, a branch of the University of California, several other colleges, and more cultural activities than you would expect in an area of 200,000 people. Santa Barbara has the best hospital-medical facilities in a 5-county area, a good mix of restaurants, and a progressive public library system. There are several walking, hiking, and nature trails, friendly people, and a diverse mix of age and socio-economic groups..

Santa Barbara is a great place to live if you don’t own a car!
The Greater Santa Barbara area (Goleta to Carpinteria) is a (mostly) flat coastal plain backed by mountains, with more rural communities north and west in the Santa Ynez Valley. The flat areas have (mostly) good sidewalks and paseos (between shopping plazas) that allow pedestrians to avoid many street corners.
Bus service in the flat area is above average in many areas and runs seven days a week. Live telephone customer service is also available every day
Bikeways exist in many parts of UCSB, Isla Vista, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and several areas of Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria; the UCSB-Goleta Bikeway is a Class One, with almost no interaction with surface streets or major arterials at all. Cyclists can move on decent bike paths from the ocean and the Zoo at East Beach past the community college, into the downtown, toward Goleta, and out to the university w/o much trouble if they’re careful.
A fleet of battery-electric downtown-waterfront shuttles take riders from the upper downtown all the way to the beach, and along the waterfront for just $0.25 @ ride in Santa Barbara. Moderately priced buses can take people to all outlying communities north, east and west pretty easily. All major shopping, governmental, service, recreation areas are easily accessible by public transportation and/or bicycle. (However, pedestrians in some parts of Goleta and Montecito would face some challenges in that regard.).
Santa Barbara Airbus runs regular trips to various points in Ventura County, some in LA County, and Los Angeles International Airport.
Amtrak provides excellent, timely train service. The Amtrak Surf-liner runs six-time-every day between Goleta/ Santa Barbara and San Diego, by way of Los Angeles, under a contract w. CA Dept. of Transportation, which offers them financial incentives for on-time service.
The airport in Santa Barbara/Goleta offers a wide range of connector flights with major and independent airlines 6AM-11PM 7 days a week, easily accessible by bus or bike.

Where is public transportation available?
Bus service is available in most parts of Santa Barbara, plus the outlying communities of Goleta, Summerland, and Carpinteria.
There is no service to Hope Ranch or the Eucalyptus Hills, Foothill Road neighborhoods. The Upper East Side is limited to just 1 line of limited hours. Mission Canyon gets minimal daytime service.
Montecito gets limited service on just 1 line. Service to Summerland is only along the freeway frontage road.”
While MTD representatives explained the reasons for these limitations (safety in the Riviera, Hope Ranch residents’ opposition to bus service, and few roads in Summerland), this is a factor about which potential new residents need to be aware.

What specific transit routes operate seven days a week?
Most bus routes operate seven days a week.

What neighborhoods and communities have seven-day transit service?
East Side, West Side, Downtown, Lower San Roque, The East Mesa, Isla Vista, Goleta (near Hollister Ave. and Calle Real only), Lower Summerland, and Carpinteria

Several neighborhoods are good choice for car-free living
Transit staff and local residents suggest checking out these neighborhoods:
East Side (the area between State Street and Olive Street, below Mission Street),
The lower Riviera (above Milpas Street)
West Side (i.e. the area between Castillo Street and State Street, up to Alamar),
Downtown, (area between Gutierrez, Micheltorena, Garden, Castillo Streets)
San Roque (the lower half, closest to State Street),
The Mesa (the eastern half, beween Castillo Street and Meigs/Shoreline).
Goleta: neighborhoods are 3-4 blocks from Hollister or Calle Real, esp. near Turnpike,
Fairview, or west of Storke Rd.

A long-time local resident who uses public transportation frequently recommends several neighborhoods as particularly transit-friendly:
Some Santa Barbara neighborhoods that are particularly transit friendly include:
· East Mesa
Close to the ocean, the beach, the harbor, with island and mountain views, this neighborhood is popular with college students, young professionals, and people entering the market with “starter homes” (averaging 950-1,400 square feet). Bounded by Castillo Street (east), Shoreline Drive (south), Cliff Drive (north), and Meigs Road(west), this neighborhood is home to the prize-winning Santa Barbara City College aka SBCC, and features Shoreline Park (free) extending 8 blocks along prime ocean front, for picnics, walks, whale-watching, and the Santa Barbara Lighthouse. Trendy Lazy Acres gourmet/organic food-wine store anchors main shopping area at Cliff Drive and Meigs/Shoreline, where a full range of services are available.
Superb bikeway along Shoreline Drive connects directly to Leadbetter Beach and the harbor below. M-F express transit (Line 15) connects directly to UCSB. Also served by MTD lines 4 (M-F), 5, 16(M-F), 17, for easy downtown access, and transfer to other lines.The Marine Terrace part of the Mesa has smaller homes built after World War II, and are still relatively “affordable”, given the area’s hot real estate prices. Many well-maintained apartments and condo complexes offer rental opportunities too. Cars drive too fast on Cliff Drive, but the surrounding neighborhood is pretty safe.
· San Roque-Grove Lane-Hitchcock
More mild, clear, sunny days year-round than any other part of the city. These adjacent neighborhoods are further from downtown and the beach, but are terrific, crime-free mix of single family homes, apartments, and condos for many price ranges.

Easy walking-biking distance to the YMCA, the post office, and 3 shopping plazas, featuring everything from: Vons-Gelsons-Albertsons-Trader Joes markets to higher end Tiffany’s, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Macy’s, etc.

Year round 7-day bus service along State Street (main arterial) via lines 6 and 11, from 6AM to 11PM, connecting to downtown, the airport, and UCSB. Line 3 connecting to Cottage Hospital and medical services; Line 5 to Arroyo Burro Park and the Mesa. Limited development on State Street’s north side yields great mountain views almost everywhere.

The Hope School District is the county’s highest rated public elementary school
system. Grove Lane is bounded by Hope Avenue (west), Ontare Road (east),
Foothill (north), State Street (south). San Roque is bounded by Ontare Road (west),
Foothill (north), Calle Palo Colorado (east).

Hitchcock anchors a small neighborhood bounded by Hope (west), Calle Real
(south), State Street (north), and Ontare Road (east). Best apartment values are on
San Remo Drive (Grove Lane) and Hitchcock Road.

· West Side/Downtown
If people, energy, culture and easy access to work are your thing, the west side of downtown is your choice. A very eclectic mix of homes, boutiques, apartments, some dating to the 1870s, you can walk almost anywhere, or bike on the great Bath-Castillo West Side Bikeway to reach Goleta, the beach and harbor, or City College in safety.
The Transit Center at Chapala (and west Carrillo) offers bus access to the entire region 7 days a week. Lines 6 and 11 run up Chapala to Sola, then up State Street.
Daily freeway express buses to UCSB and to Old Town Goleta go up Chapala and w. Arrellaga. Line 3 runs up Bath Street past the Schott Adult Education Center and Cottage Hospital’s medical services hub.
The (Crosstown Electric Shuttle runs up Chapala where it crosses to the area west of the 101 freeway, then loops back across Micheltorena Street, and down Anacapa Street to access the Library, Courthouse, and Art Museum.
Some of the best restaurants between LA and Silicon Valley beckon. Funky coffeehouses and cafes. Live music 7 days a week downtown at places like Soho. Thirteen different movie screens, plus the legendary Lobero, Arlington, and Granada Theatres, plus an endless array of festivals and pageants (i.e. the Summer Solstice, Old Spanish Days Fiesta, etc.) abound.

Prices vary, streets closer to the 101 freeway can be noisy, some areas below Carrillo are a bit less safe. But if you savor a flat, walkable (with unexpected fountains and paseos) access to a lively, beautiful downtown urban area and all that implies, then living on the upper west side is worth considering.
This area is bounded by State Street, Valerio Street, Carrillo, and Castillo.

Transit is an economical and efficient way to get around
With gas over $4.00 per gallon, transit is an inexpensive way to go places, and the walkable environment provides exercise, fitness, and calorie burning at the same time, while the bus often offers “free” time to safely read, think, check messages, etc. It’s very easy to use buses as a primary means of transportation. Many people do just that every day. However, 90% of them are “transit dependent” immigrants, kids, students (traveling w. passes). You can do it ok with some research and planning. However, scheduled run times on many routes are estimates, rather than reality. So if your destination is very time-sensitive, plan to either leave early, or risk arriving late.

Four areas are top choices to stay for out-of-town visitors
Downtown, Waterfront area, San Roque, and the outer State Street area, have the best mix of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, in a wide price-range, that are readily accessible by transit if visitors plan carefully, and have above-average access to good sidewalks and bike lanes. In Old Town Goleta, the Hampton Inn on Hollister Avenue is another option.

Commuting by transit is easy, but plan carefully.
A frequent rider wishes that more rush hour buses ran on time and weren’t so over-crowded. He advises people to leave home a little bit early and allow extra time to get to work.

Biking is realistic, but not always ideal to combine with transit
All of MTD’s regular diesel buses have exterior bike racks that have room for 2 bikes. Unfortunately, bikes ARE NOT allowed in the bus.
A local commuter laments, “If those bike racks are taken, cyclists must either chain their bikes to the bus pole, wait for the next bus, or bike all the way to work. Some commuters choose to ride the bike to work then load it on the exterior bus rack and ride the bus home.”

Santa Barbara is a good place to retire
A long time resident who uses transit regularly offers these suggestions:
“Work closely with an experienced local real estate agent to find safe neighborhoods that have good access to key destinations by frequent, reliable bus service, that can also be walked on a safe, well lit sidewalk system, and have close access to button-controlled/signal regulated crosswalks for major streets (for instance, Cliff Drive, the main street on the Mesa, is just a bear to cross for most of its 2.5 mile length – it’s 5-6 lane raceway for cars w. only 3 signalized crosswalks, and some stretches w/o full sidewalks.
“San Roque and outer State Street neighborhoods work pretty well as good areas for retirees.. Parts of Hidden Valley, the Mesa, Samarkand, and the east and west sides do well too”

Any other suggestions for people considering living or vacationing here?
Visit any of these web sites: www.santabarbaraca.com www.santabarbaraca.gov www.santabarbara.com or www.santabarbaracarfree.com.

Transit Rider shares his experiences with transit
A long-time resident with strong first-hand experience with alternative transportation such as buses, uses his car an average of 20 miles a week. In 18 years, his odometer totals about 240,000 miles. One reason is that he uses local buses to get to work and for most other purposes.
Lugging groceries to and from a bus stop can be challenging. The solution is to take multiple trips to the grocery store, so you can buy and carry less each time.
MTD deserves credit for good service to medical facilities. “The Line 3 now provides excellent service to main hospital and the medical services clusters nearby.
But that’s only M-F; weekend service is only hourly: starts late and ends early I imagine they assume no one gets sick on weekends!” (Still, at least weekend service is available—even if not as early or as late as he would like. MTD representatives point out that there are 13 trips to Cottage Hospital (the main hospital here) on Saturdays, and 11 trips on Sundays. Saturday service operates from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)..
Getting to the beach and other recreation areas is more difficult. “It’s OK to some destinations, but challenging for others. I like East Beach, but weekend service there sucks. I like to hike, but service into Mission Canyon and the Botanic Garden is erratic, and stops way too early.”
How good is public transportation in general?

“It’s OK if your destination is near State/Hollister, or along the Carpinteria run (Line 20). MTD has very good service during the school year to the community college and the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)

What are the biggest challenges in using public transportation?
“Late buses, sometimes annoying fellow passengers who are not always considerate. I wish more bus drivers enforced the rules on board.”
There are many benefits from taking transit, instead of driving. “You walk a lot and stay fit while saving lots of money over time. I meet lots of interesting people; take the world at a slower, more relaxed pace; and get to see my community in a way you just can’t do from behind the wheel of a car. And, by using public transportation, I and other riders contribute directly to reducing congestion and helping air quality and the environment.”
On a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best), this resident and transit user ranks Santa Barbara an 8. He explains, “If you pick where you live carefully, and schedule where/when you’re going for things, and do some minimal research, you can visit or access nearly all employment, entertainment, cultural, recreation, scenic, and public service locations on a timely, regular basis: on foot, by bike or bus, or some combination, and do it safely in mostly nice weather.
“If you are considering moving to Santa Barbara without a car, avoid these areas: Eucalyptus Hills, Riviera, Foothills areas, Hope Ranch, most parts of Montecito, upper Summerland foothills, most parts of Goleta more than 6 blocks from Hollister south of the freeway, or 6 blocks north of Calle Real and Berkeley/University Drives above the freeway. Think carefully about the west Mesa area, since Cliff Drive is hard to cross safely, and only the occasional Line 5 serves it”

What tips or suggestions could he offer someone who is considering moving to Santa Barbara and doesn’t want the expense or hassle of owning a car?
“I would advise that person to visit before moving here (the housing prices will determine how healthy your heart and blood pressure are). Once here for a visit, buy a (discounted) pass.
“Then ride each bus line from start to finish, while matching the bus route map to the city map, so you can actually see which routes service which destinations well, to meet their individual future needs.
“Ditto for renting a bicycle over a weekend visit. Obtain Traffic Solutions’ (excellent) area bikeway map-guide, then ride along as many bikeways/bike lanes as possible, to see which neighborhoods they go through, how traffic on the roads feels to you, and how long/hard it is to reach destinations that are important to you.”

What You Need to Know
City or Region: Santa Barbara, California
Population:
City of Santa Barbara: 85,681 ( 2006 estimate),
Santa Barbara County: 421,625
Name of Transit Provider:
Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District (MTD
Phone Number: (805) 683-3702
Customer Service Phone Hours:
Monday-Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday and Holidays: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Web Site: www.sbmtd.gov/

Days and Hours Transit Service Operates:
Hours on individual routes vary. System hours are:
Monday-Friday:: 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Saturday: 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..

Where is the nearest Airport? Is it served by public transit?
Santa Barbara Airport, 601 Firestone Road, is served by MTD buses

Where is the nearest Train Station? Is it served by local transit?
Santa Barbara’s Amtrak Station, 209 State Street, is served by MTD buses
(but the Goleta Amtrak Station has NO bus service at this time).

Where is the nearest Bus Terminal? Is it served by local transit?
MTD buses serve The Greyhound bus terminal, 34 West Carillo Street.

REGIONAL and INTERCITY PROVIDERS
Because there are more than 10 regional and intercity
Transit providers, the best solution is to visit this web site:
http://www.trafficsolutions.info/transit.htm for a complete list of
transit providers and where they got.