More than $16 million in federal funding could be on its way to Santa Barbara County for community projects, if approved by the Senate.
Rep. Salud Carbajal made the announcement Thursday, noting the money will address seven major community projects in the county.
The funding bills are written as part of the 2023 Fiscal Year and will help fund projects in Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Santa Maria.
Carbajal specifically requesting and pushed for funding for these projects, his office said in a release.
If approved, the funds will go the following projects:
- $7 million would help pay for construction for carpool lane expansion along Hwy 101 between Santa Barbara and Ventura. When finished, Hwy 101 will have a 30-mile stretch of three-lane traffic between Ventura and Goleta.
- $2 million would help purchase and modify a new building for the Orcutt Branch Library, which has outgrown its current leased space.
- $1.5 million would cover part of the cost of a full-scale renovation of Dwight Murphy Field in Santa Barbara. The project will include adding a 36,000 square foot playground to the park.
- $1.5 million will help retrofit the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County's new warehouse in Goleta. The project will allow the warehouse to hold more than 750,000 pounds of food.
- $1,267,500 would cover about one third of the cost of improvements to Pioneer Park in Lompoc. Upgrades include a new playground and baseball fields.
- $500,000 would help Santa Maria build a 10,000 square foot Japanese Community Center as part of the Smith-Enos History Farm House project.
- $500,000 would also go to water districts that rely on Lake Cachuma to help pay for an emergency pumping facility project made necessary by record low water levels. The project will allow the lake's water to continue to reach Goleta, Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria.
Rep. Carbajal also announced House approval of $4 million funding for community projects in San Luis Obispo County.
