Amtrak travelers passing through Santa Barbara County are experiencing temporary changes to their commutes.
"I usually take the train from Grover Beach all the way to Camarillo," said Kim Grippy, a regular Surfliner passenger.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner has suspended service north of the Goleta station since August 1, due to reconstruction work on the 127-year-old La Cañada Honda bridge.
During the disruption, LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency is providing bus transportation along the affected routes to keep passengers moving.
For some travelers, the alternative transportation has been seamless.
"I had to take the bus, and it was great. No problems. On time. People were pleasant. No issues," Grippy added.
Anne Cole, another passenger, agreed.
"Yeah, it was fine. It was great," she said.
However, not all travelers have found the transition easy.
"It's very inconvenient, like having to switch off and trying to figure out which bus to take coming off of the train," said Audrey Fu, who noted the bus connection "adds like two hours more than the regular one."
The construction project also temporarily paused launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base, which has since resumed normal operations as of August 8.
Jason Jewell, LOSSAN rail managing director, explained the rocket launches were paused as a safety precaution.
"Really to make sure that the integrity of the actual bridge itself, you know, while this is being constructed, that there's no integrity issues with the bridge itself," he said.
The construction is proceeding around the clock to minimize the disruption period.
"It is actually all-day construction, all-night construction to get this last phase of the project done," Jewell said.
Passengers planning to travel on the Pacific Surfliner during this period should check the Amtrak website for the latest updates on bus connections and service restoration.
Full service is expected to resume on Sunday, August 17.
