The opening of the bridges along Santa Barbara's State Route 192 damaged from the 2018 debris flow has been delayed again . Six bridges from Montecito to Carpinteria were slammed with boulders on January 9, creating unstable conditions that have made travel along the back road, a frequently used alternative to the 101, impassable since then. Caltrans had hoped to have them all open by the end of winter, but delays have occurred with the repair and replacement of utility lines, said Jim Shivers, Caltrans' spokesperson, more so than the weather.
The bridges over Romero and San Ysidro creeks are down to one lane, but Caltrans is now projecting that they will open by the end of March, as the state agency also projects for Toro Canyon and Arroyo Paredon bridges. Residents who use Toro Creek Bridge are now looking at June for an opening, and Montecito Creek's completion date has been pushed to July.