The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 21 to approve Caltrans’ widening of Highway 101 from a spot just south of Mussel Shoals to the Santa Barbara County line.

Caltrans is also planning to widen the Santa Barbara County side of that stretch of Highway 101. The Ventura County project is scheduled to start in 2012 and will add a carpool lane on each side of the 101. It also includes eliminating left turns into and out of La Conchita and Mussel Shoals; adding a public parking lot on the inland side of the freeway and bicycle lanes on the ocean side; and eliminating an oceanside shoulder commonly used for beach parking.

Surfers and some beach community residents protested because they wanted the bike lanes on the inland side of the highway, to preserve the oceanfront shoulder parking. The Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected their appeals.

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