Solvang city leaders have directed staff to begin the relinquishment process with Caltrans, a move that could eventually give the city control of Mission Drive, the congested main corridor running through the heart of the Danish-themed tourist destination.
Mission Drive is part of State Route 246 and is currently owned and operated by Caltrans, meaning many improvements require state approval before the City can act.
The decision came after years of navigating what City Manager Randy Murphy describes as a lengthy approval process for even routine work along the corridor.
"Basically, anytime we want to do any maintenance on the road itself or within I think 10 or 15 feet of the road, then we have to get permission from Caltrans," Murphy said.
Murphy said the idea was partly inspired by a similar relinquishment effort in Southern California and by ongoing frustration with traffic congestion — particularly during peak tourism periods.
"I've also been actively trying to find a way to smooth the traffic flow out through town and there's just a lot of hoops to jump through," Murphy said.
Traffic backups along Mission Drive have become a recurring complaint from residents and visitors alike. Murphy said the problem is most acute when tourism is at its peak.
"When we're really busy, obviously high traffic volume and people walking out in the street, so it comes to a standstill and we have traffic backed up three miles," Murphy said.
The congestion is something longtime residents know well.
"If you're not familiar with Solvang downtown, Solvang, which is Mission Drive on the 246, it's a bunch of stoplights and a bunch of stop-and-go traffic either way," Solvang resident Roger Lane said.
"It can be difficult or slow to get downtown and through Solvang to Buellton or up Santa Ynez," Lane said.
Right now, Mission Drive sees a mix of cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists, and road work is currently underway along the avenue. Some visitors, however, say the area is manageable.
"Pretty easy to navigate, yeah ... and yeah, not too crowded ... a lot of crosswalks but that was okay," said Dan Schwettnann, who was visiting from Ohio.
If the City moves forward, Caltrans says the process would begin with a formal written request from Solvang, followed by a state review of whether the roadway should remain part of the state highway system.
"It starts with a letter from the City to Caltrans requesting relinquishment, and they designate the post miles, the exact segment of Highway 246 that they're interested in assuming, and Caltrans then responds by doing an assessment," said Kevin Drabinski of Caltrans District 5.
The process is detailed and can be lengthy, Drabinski said, because it involves more than just the local segment.
"Well there's, it's a very detailed process, and there has to be an examination of not only that segment of the roadway but how it connects and with what other communities it connects," Drabinski said.
Caltrans says similar relinquishment efforts have occurred in other communities across California. If the process moves forward in Solvang, it could take between three and nine years to complete.
For now, City leaders are only at the beginning of the process, with any final decision on the future of Mission Drive still potentially years away.
