State Route 154 (California)
Encyclopedia
State Route 154 (also known as the Chumash Highway or unofficially as San Marcos Pass after the signage) runs from Los Olivos
to Santa Barbara, California
, USA. Before U.S. Route 101 was built, this was the main throughway to Santa Barbara and the tri city area including use as a Stagecoach
route in early years.
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
.
and the San Marcos Pass
. It starts in Los Olivos as a spur
from US 101, goes through the town, and then the end of SR 246
at Santa Ynez
. It then reaches Lake Cachuma
and passes through the Los Padres National Forest, and across the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge
, where Cold Spring Tavern is on Stagecoach Road which passes below the bridge. Nearby it crosses Camino Cielo Road to the East and West, then the intersection of Painted Cave Road and Old San Marcos Road before descending to Santa Barbara. It then briefly becomes four lanes and passes an offramp for SR 192 (named Foothill Road to the East and Cathedral Oaks Road to the West of SR 154), before stopping at Calle Real
and a Southbound onramp to US 101 and ending at the point where State Street to the East becomes Hollister Avenue to the West.
The entire route is in Santa Barbara County
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Zaca Station
|R0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|R8.11
|
|
|-
|
|14.77
|Cachuma Lake County Park
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|West end of freeway
|-
|
|R31.55
|
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|East end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=2|Santa Barbara
|32.28
|
|Interchange
|-
|32.28
|State Street
|Continuation beyond US 101
Los Olivos, California
Los Olivos is a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California. The ZIP Code is 93441, and the community is inside area code 805...
to Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, USA. Before U.S. Route 101 was built, this was the main throughway to Santa Barbara and the tri city area including use as a Stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route in early years.
This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System
California Freeway and Expressway System
The California Freeway and Expressway System is a system of existing or planned freeways and expressways in the U.S. state of California. It is defined by the Streets and Highways Code.-List of roads in the system:*State Route 1 *State Route 2...
and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System
State Scenic Highway System (California)
The State Scenic Highway System is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the California Department of Transportation as scenic highways. The California State Legislature, primarily through Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code, makes highways eligible for...
.
Route description
It is a 2 lane road with some passing lanes, with the highest altitude being 2000 ft. It rivals US 101 for traffic, but it goes through the Los Padres National ForestLos Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland...
and the San Marcos Pass
San Marcos Pass
San Marcos Pass is a mountain pass in the Santa Ynez Mountains in California.It is traversed by State Route 154. The pass connects Los Olivos and the Santa Ynez Valley with Santa Barbara, California...
. It starts in Los Olivos as a spur
Spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
from US 101, goes through the town, and then the end of SR 246
California State Route 246
State Route 246 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It runs from Lompoc to Santa Ynez and cuts through the Santa Barbara Wine Country.-Route description:...
at Santa Ynez
Santa Ynez, California
Santa Ynez is a census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The town of Santa Ynez is one of the communities that make up the Santa Ynez Valley, and features the Santa Ynez Airport for general aviation with a paved 2804 x 75 foot runway. The population was 4,418...
. It then reaches Lake Cachuma
Lake Cachuma
Lake Cachuma is an artificial lake located in the Santa Ynez Valley of central Santa Barbara County, California on the Santa Ynez River adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The reservoir was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam, a earth-fill structure built by the U.S....
and passes through the Los Padres National Forest, and across the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge
Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge
The Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge in the Santa Ynez Mountains links Santa Barbara, California with Santa Ynez, California. The bridge is signed as part of State Route 154. The current bridge was completed and opened to traffic in 1963 and won awards for engineering, design and beauty. It is...
, where Cold Spring Tavern is on Stagecoach Road which passes below the bridge. Nearby it crosses Camino Cielo Road to the East and West, then the intersection of Painted Cave Road and Old San Marcos Road before descending to Santa Barbara. It then briefly becomes four lanes and passes an offramp for SR 192 (named Foothill Road to the East and Cathedral Oaks Road to the West of SR 154), before stopping at Calle Real
El Camino Real (California)
El Camino Real and sometimes associated with Calle Real usually refers to the 600-mile California Mission Trail, connecting the former Alta California's 21 missions , 4 presidios, and several pueblos, stretching from Mission San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego...
and a Southbound onramp to US 101 and ending at the point where State Street to the East becomes Hollister Avenue to the West.
Major intersections
- Note: Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured in 1964, based on the alignment as it existed at that time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage.
The entire route is in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Postmile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|Zaca Station
|R0.00
|
|Interchange
|-
|
|R8.11
|
|
|-
|
|14.77
|Cachuma Lake County Park
Lake Cachuma
Lake Cachuma is an artificial lake located in the Santa Ynez Valley of central Santa Barbara County, California on the Santa Ynez River adjoining the north side of California State Route 154. The reservoir was created by the construction of Bradbury Dam, a earth-fill structure built by the U.S....
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|West end of freeway
|-
|
|R31.55
|
|
|-
|colspan=4 align=center|East end of freeway
|-
|rowspan=2|Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
|32.28
|
|Interchange
|-
|32.28
|State Street
|Continuation beyond US 101