An iconic beach access stairway on the South Coast has reopened, after a badly needed repair and renovation project.
Santa Barbara's Thousand Steps beach access stairway was built in 1925. It connects the city's Mesa area with the beach. But, time had caught up with the stairs, with heavy use and erosion making some of the stairs dangerous to use.
The city launched a $750,000 repair and improvement project six month ago. The work included demolishing the lower 24 steps. They were rebuilt, and seven more were added to make climbing the stairway easier. New guardrails were added, as well as drainage improvements and a bicycle rack.
Completing the project took longer than normal because crews had to do much of work during low tides. The steps will be temporarly closed again later this year or early next year so a cement apron can be added on the beach to provide additional protection for the stairs against future erosion.
