Caltrans announced Monday that Highway 101 would not reopen for at least another week due in part to this weekend’s rain forecast. The freeway has been shut down in both directions since the deadly storm in Montecito last Tuesday. Authorities said they are moving slowly in part because human remains could be buried in the mud caught in the highway.
Additional railcars were added on Sunday to the 10 existing trains traveling through the Santa Barbara area, Amtrak reported. They provide more than 2,000 additional seats. There are a total of 15,000 Ventura County residents who work in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments.
Passengers can use their train ticket for a free transfer to all MTD buses and shuttle services in Santa Barbara, Amtrak said. Rail passengers said the railcars have been packed to capacity. On one southbound trip, a dozen passenger squeezed into the restroom. Other commuters, particularly doctors and nurses, have taken ferry rides.