TRANSIT CENTER RENOVATION PROJECT
Santa Barbara MTD is renovating the Transit Center facility at 1020 Chapala Street in Downtown Santa Barbara. This website is the home for project details and updates.
Santa Barbara MTD is undertaking a complete overhaul and renovation of MTD’s existing Transit Center site at 1020 Chapala Street in Downtown Santa Barbara.
In addition to a new roof on the building, exterior improvements include a new loading platform with brick pavers, redesigned curb ramps and slopes for ADA access, new seating, and waste receptacles. The project features a new, more durable concrete driveway surface, new drought-tolerant landscaping and irrigation, and LED pole lights. Additionally, the sidewalk, curb, and gutter in front of the property will be improved.
Interior spaces will undergo varying levels of renovation including new LED lighting, HVAC systems, flooring, ceilings, paint and fixtures, employee areas, customer service windows, and public restrooms.
Before renovation work begins, a small temporary facility will be installed adjacent to the Transit Center property in the corner of City Parking Lot 3. The facilities will be comprised of a ticket booth, a ticket vending machine enclosure, and ADA-accessible portable public restrooms. These facilities and services will be open to the public during regular Transit Center hours (6a-7p M-F, 9a-5p Sa-Su) and will be locked after hours.
While the Transit Center is under construction, bus operations will continue, requiring modifications to the existing streetscape to support passenger boarding and alighting. Several benches and other street furniture will be relocated during the construction period. Certain slump block walls and landscaping will be removed to provide for additional bus boarding zones.
Due to the extended closure of the bus loop driveway and loading platform, MTD buses will be loading and unloading passengers in new locations for the duration of the project. These locations are curb areas along the 1000 and 1100 blocks on the east side of Chapala Street, and the south side of the 0 block of West Figueroa Street. The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) Coastal Express bus stop will be relocated from the current stop at Chapala and Figueroa up one block to the existing MTD stop at Chapala and Anapamu, adjacent to City Parking Lot 5.
All Santa Barbara MTD and VCTC bus services will remain in full operation and City Parking Lot 3 will remain open and accessible to the public for the duration of the project.
| Project Phase | Timeline |
| Start of Project | July 2019 |
| Temporary Facilities Setup & Boarding Zone Preparation | July 2019 to Early September 2019 |
| Switchover to Temporary Facilities | Early September 2019 |
| Building Construction & Closure of Transit Center Building & Driveway | Early September 2019 to early March 2020 |
| Concrete Sitework (Driveway, Loading Platform, Curb, Gutter, Sidewalk, etc.) | Early November 2019 to Late February 2020 |
| End of Project | Summer 2020 |
As construction proceeds on the Transit Center building and driveway, buses will be loading and unloading in new areas, referred to as Zones A through E. After 7pm on weekdays and on weekends, Lines 3 and 20 move from Zone A to Zone B.
Zone A — Chapala & Carrillo (former taxi zone near old Greyhound property)
Lines 3 & 20
Zone B — Chapala & Figueroa (near side, adjacent to Transit Center, bus benches, and City Lot 3)
Lines 2, 5, 6, 11, 16, 2010, & 2520
Zone C — Figueroa & Chapala (right turn lane into City Lot 3)
Lines 1, 4, 7, 14, & 17
Zone D — Chapala & Figueroa (far side, adjacent to Riley’s Flowers, Don Q’s, and City Lot 4)
Lines 12x, 24, & 37 (Crosstown Shuttle)
Zone E — Chapala & Anapamu adjacent to China Pavilion and City Lot 5
VCTC Coastal Express
Construction Update as of 8/31/2020
The Transit Center project is nearly complete! The interior of the building is 99% complete and MTD staff have moved Transit Center operations out of temporary facilities and back into the building. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the interior of the building will not reopen until MTD resumes collecting fares.
On Friday, September 4th, the fences will come down and buses will return to the circle around the Transit Center. Most lines will return to boarding and alighting in the circle, except for some lines will still load on Figueroa in Zone C, in order to provide for better social distancing.
See the map and the list below for zone details. The building will still be closed to the public, and certain benches around the outside of the building will be taped off to allow for social distancing. Face coverings will be required EVERYWHERE on the Transit Center property.
New loading zones, starting 9/4/20:
Transit Center Circle: Lines 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 14, 20
Zone B (Chapala & Figueroa): Lines 12x & 24x
Zone C (Figueroa): Lines 1, 4, & 17
Zone D (Chapala at Riley’s): VCTC Coastal Express
Construction Update as of 4/27/2020
On Thursday, April 30th, sidewalk closure and replacement in front of the Transit Center will begin. The sidewalk on the east side of the 1000 block of Chapala Street between Carrillo Street and the area just past the bus circle entrance will be closed. This also means that the lines currently boarding and alighting in Zone A (area near the corner of Carrillo and Chapala) will be moved to Zone D (area near Riley’s Flowers just past Figueroa Street). Lines 3 and 20 will now board in Zone D, all days of the week and all times of day. Pedestrians looking to reach the temporary Transit Center and Zones B, C and D will need to approach via at the Figueroa intersection with Chapala Street.
On Thursday, April 30th, sidewalk closure and replacement in front of the Transit Center will begin. The sidewalk on the east side of the 1000 block of Chapala Street between Carrillo Street and the area just past the bus circle entrance will be closed. This also means that the lines currently boarding and alighting in Zone A (area near the corner of Carrillo and Chapala) will be moved to Zone D (area near Riley’s Flowers just past Figueroa Street). Lines 3 and 20 will now board in Zone D, all days of the week and all times of day. Pedestrians looking to reach the temporary Transit Center and Zones B, C and D will need to approach via at the Figueroa intersection with Chapala Street.
This temporary sidewalk closure and zone change is expected to last approximately 4 weeks.
Construction Update as of 4/14/2020
The new driveway is 95% complete and the copper fascia portions of the roof are being installed.
The customer service enclosure has been rebuilt and cabinetry is being installed. Glazing panels will soon be installed and the area will be entirely surrounded by glass, with pass through transaction trays.
Having been delayed from a March start date, sidewalk closure and replacement in front of the Transit Center is back on track. Beginning April 30th, the sidewalk on the east side of the 1000 block of Chapala Street between Carrillo Street and the area just past the bus circle entrance will be closed. This also means that the lines currently boarding and alighting in Zone A (area near the corner of Carrillo and Chapala) will be moved to Zone D (area near Riley’s Flowers just past Figueroa Street). Lines 3 and 20 will now board in Zone D, all days of the week and all times of day. Pedestrians looking to reach the temporary Transit Center and Zones B, C and D will need to approach via at the Figueroa intersection with Chapala Street.
This temporary sidewalk closure and zone change is expected to last approximately 4 weeks.
Construction Update as of 3/11/2020
The exterior entrance way to the building has been altered significantly to accommodate for required ADA changes & to allow for more landscaping areas. The photo below shows the new entrance ramp and the area that will hold new landscaping.
The new driveway is over 60% complete and boarding platforms are 95% complete. All on-site concrete work is expected to be completed in March, with the off-site work of sidewalk replacement scheduled to begin the week of March 23rd.
Beginning the week of March 23rd, the sidewalk on the east side of the 1000 block of Chapala Street between Carrillo Street and the area just past the bus circle entrance will be closed. This also means that the lines currently boarding and alighting in Zone A (area near the corner of Carrillo and Chapala) will be moved to Zone D (area near Riley’s Flowers just past Figueroa Street). Lines 3 and 20 will now board in Zone D, all days of the week and all times of day. Pedestrians looking to reach the temporary Transit Center and Zones B, C and D will need to approach via at the Figueroa intersection with Chapala Street.
This temporary sidewalk closure and zone change is expected to last approximately 4 weeks.
Construction Update as of 1/9/2020
Wooden forms for the pouring of concrete to create the loading and unloading platform around the Transit Center building have been constructed. All sub-grade plumbing and power have been prepared.
Structural supports for the new control room walls and windows framing are being installed, and control room ceilings will be installed soon. Supplemental perimeter site work is nearly complete. In January, concrete for the new boarding platform will be poured and metal will be installed on the roof.
Construction Update as of 12/30/2019
Concrete and rebar are being installed and the front loading platform on Chapala has been demolished in preparation for changes to the area.
Work continues to prepare the site for installation of the new driveway, loading platform, and sidewalks. The new bus circle driveway will be built to last around 50 years, and will be closer to the strength and standards of an airport runway.
Construction Update as of 11/25/2019
Interior walls are being framed. A new wall is being constructed near the back door and the area will house storage. This new wall will also create a short hallway leading to the men’s restroom.
The driveway and loading platform have been fully demolished. In mid-December, work will take place on the sidewalk and aprons in front of the Transit Center.
Construction Update as of 11/11/2019
Demolition of the bus circle driveway and loading platform around the building is nearing completion.
The control room with customer service windows has been demolished and will be replaced with an entirely redesigned control room.
Construction Update as of 10/25/2019
Interior demolition of the Transit Center building is complete, and new roof insulation, membranes and gutter work are also done.
Throughout November, the final roof finish will be installed and electrical and plumbing work will begin. Exterior demolition of loading platform and driveway areas will occur over the next several weeks.
Construction Update as of 9/30/2019
Interior demolition of the Transit Center building is underway, and crews have completed abatement of hazardous materials in the roof and ceiling.
Throughout October, demolition of the building interior and framing of new internal walls will take place.
Construction Update as of 9/13/2019
As of Sunday, September 8th, the temporary facilities are open and buses are boarding in Zones A-E. Passengers are learning the new zone locations and operators have adapted to conditions
Customer Service Representatives are assisting customers with information and pass sales from temporary facilities along Chapala Street. Passengers still have access to ticket vending machines, a bill breaker, and a changes machine.
Crews are removing existing landscaping and beginning interior demolition of the Transit Center building. The building and driveway area is fenced off and is an active construction zone and restricted area.
Construction Update as of 9/6/2019
As of Sunday, September 8th, the existing Transit Center and bus circle will be closed, and Transit Center functions will take place in the temporary facilities along Chapala Street.
Once the transition occurs on Sunday, September 8th, the Transit Center building and bus circle will be closed for renovation through early Spring of 2020. For the duration of the project, buses will load and unload in Zones A-E.
Construction Update as of 8/29/2019
Temporary facilities have been placed along Chapala Street and final wiring and preparations are underway for the transition over from existing facilities. Boarding zones along Figueroa Street are also nearing completion.
Beginning Friday, September 6th and continuing through the weekend of September 7th and 8th, crews will begin the transition from the existing Transit Center to the temporary facilities. We encourage the riding public to take a look at the Zone Map above on this page in advance of Monday, September 9th to anticipate where specific lines will be boarding.
Construction Update as of 8/15/2019
Work has begun in the areas adjacent to the Transit Center to prepare the interim operations facilities. Temporary power has been run to the area, and construction trailers and fencing have been set up in Parking Lot 3. Crews have removed landscaping and slump block walls along Chapala and Figueroa to make room for temporary facilities and new boarding locations.
Crews will continue to prepare the area for interim operations when the Transit Center and bus circle are closed in early September.