Traffic on State and Economic Viability
Good government decisions will sometimes go against the majority and side with the voices of the minority in order to deliver the best solution. This was not the case when the Santa Barbara City Council voted to extend the State Street Promenade through 2026, along with a host of other municipal planning provisions to improve the current nightmare downtown.
This recent approval and decision played out like a popularity contest. Councilmembers used a city survey, a Santa Barbara Independent poll, and speakers who successfully packed City Hall to rationalize the vote to keep State Street shut down. I wonder if other data was equally considered, such as the number of vacancies on State and its adjacent cross streets, how many businesses have shut down in the past five years, the life expectancy of a new business downtown, the loss in parking revenue, and the recent increase to $3 an hour for public parking.
I also wonder if anyone has discussed the role two-way traffic on State Street has played within the downtown corridor. Because of the north and south one-way traffic that surrounds State Street, it has historically acted as a pivotal two-way traffic arterial to ease congestion and improve the flow of traffic and circulation. Furthermore, cars on State Street have always allowed visitors and shoppers to cruise through downtown to see what shops and restaurants were open and make decisions about which city parking garage they would use. Cars are not going anywhere soon. In fact, the manufacturing boom in Detroit for smart cars demonstrates the social and economic vitality of vehicles in the United States.
Another important point to consider is the loss of our parade routes for Christmas, Summer Solstice, and Old Spanish Days. All of these events have had a huge economic impact on State Street and downtown. Now that they have been displaced, locals have lost the cultural center to celebrate the city’s identity and the diversity of our community. While the small businesses that relied on those events are now floundering or no longer are in business.
If Santa Barbara remains in economic recovery and transition due to the pandemic, we should not blame it on State Street and its recent poor economic performance. On the contrary, State Street should be reopened to provide evidence as to why it is the foundation for the revitalization of downtown. Vehicle traffic on State Street is like the old veteran baseball player that is still capable of hitting a grand slam, if given the chance.
I think the majority who favor a closed State Street, see the opportunity for a new identity and economic experience for downtown, along with an aesthetic appeal to reinvent State Street for the sake of making a change. There is merit with what the majority wants, along with the interests from bicycle enthusiasts. But none of that can replace the need for State Street to be reopened. Until then, we will always be chasing our tail looking for a solution.
