During National Public Works Week in May, the City of Goleta publicly recognized its hard-working and dedicated Goleta Public Works Team. Their department has a staff of 21 employees who are responsible for so many aspects of our daily life, including the City’s infrastructure, parks and open spaces, street maintenance, storm water management, solid waste and environmental services, and engineering. Learn more about each division here.

City Manager Michelle Greene said, “I am so proud of our Public Works team. From engineering to capital projects, and from streets maintenance to parks and open space maintenance, they continue to do an amazing job no matter the circumstances.”

Director of Public Works Charlie Ebeling said, “Public Works Staff has worked very hard this last year to deliver projects and services to the residents of the City of Goleta. This includes being available 24/7 to respond to emergencies and working to deliver projects including the largest in the City’s history, while simultaneously being remarkably responsive to all types of requests. I am honored and proud to work with such an accomplished group of people.”

Over the past year, our Public Works Department has had many achievements, including completing the following projects:

• Old Town Sidewalk Improvements Project increased pedestrian safety, added parking and improved drainage
• Fairview Avenue Sidewalk Infill Project increased pedestrian and bicycle safety
• San Jose Creek Emergency Channel Repairs in advance of the winter storms
• Installed enhanced pedestrian crosswalks at Calle Real and Kingston Avenue and at Hollister Avenue and Chapel Street to ensure pedestrian and bicyclist safety and safe routes to school

Public Works projects on the horizon include:

• LED Street Lighting Project will replace more than 1,300 old streetlights with new energy efficient LED lights making it better for the environment, providing clearer lighting, and saving the City money
• Hollister Avenue Interim Striping Project will improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety in the corridor, and increase outdoor business and dining space
• Hollister Avenue Bridge Project will replace the existing bridge and complete the channel widening south of the bridge thereby allowing greater flood water conveyance capacity
• Ekwill and Fowler Road Extensions Project will construct major improvements which will greatly enhance circulation in Old Town for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians
• Four-million-dollar paving project for various citywide roadways including segments of Cathedral Oaks Road
• New signalized crosswalk on Calle Real near Encina Lane
• Three enhanced pedestrian crossings on Cathedral Oaks Road
• Design for the 20-million-dollar San Jose Creek Bike Path Project

Thank you, Goleta Public Works, for your hard work and dedication and for your ability to adjust to continue serving the community safely during the pandemic.

Pictured: Anthony Lopez, Public Works Maintenance Worker, out in the field installing a new stop sign in Old Town and street striping “STOP” on the ground.