With hot summer days around the corner, locals and visitors will now have options to skip the walk from the waterfront to State Street, catching a quick ride and giving their feet a moment to rest. Instead of the steep climb through the underpass right after Yanonali Street, those visiting downtown can sit back and enjoy the ocean breeze or an air-conditioned vehicle. Unlike in past years, people visiting downtown will have options as two shuttle services will launch on the same weekend.
State Street Loop Offers Free Rides
Local nonprofit Friends of State Street has collaborated with the City of Santa Barbara and Sweep S.B. to launch the pilot program for the State Street Loop on Thursday, May 29, running up and down from Cabrillo Boulevard and the Waterfront to Victoria Street. The Loop will operate Thursday-Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. No app is needed to ride, and riders can hop on or off at clearly marked stops along the way.
The Loop will operate using three golf carts, with two holding five passengers and a driver each and one serving as an ADA-compliant cart. Sweep S.B. is the owner and operator of the golf cart shuttles and will be providing certified drivers.
Rides on the Loop will be free, making State Street more accessible. While the pilot program is still new, Sharon Rich, Friends of State Street’s founding president and CEO, said that each golf cart is equipped with iPads so riders can take a quick survey, providing feedback on things like route stops. Rich said that a team worked to make the survey take less than 30 seconds, and all metrics will be reported to the Santa Barbara City Council so that Friends of State Street can inform the city about the public’s transportation needs. Additionally, all metrics provided by riders will be posted on Friends of State Street’s website.
Rich said that this concept aligns with the State Street Master Plan — which aims to transform Santa Barbara’s State Street into a vibrant, community-driven destination — and with Friends of State Street’s work, which is rooted in giving back to the community.
The all-electric golf cart rides offer community members a chance to slow down and take in the sights around State Street, with the goal of helping riders discover new places to frequent, Rich said.
See the Loop’s route and more at friendsofstatestreet.org/loop/.
Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle Returns
On the Friday after the Loop’s launch, May 30, Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District’s Downtown-Waterfront shuttle returns for the second year in a row following a four-year hiatus. The shuttle will operate Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. up until Labor Day.
The route for MTD’s shuttle is wider than the Loop’s, running from the harbor to the Santa Barbara Zoo and in a circular route from Cabrillo Boulevard’s waterfront to the Arlington Theatre along Chapala and Anacapa streets. The route, which runs every 20 minutes, provides riders with connections to places such as the historic courthouse, hotels, and the Funk Zone.
To catch the shuttle, riders can wait at any MTD stop along the route. The fee to ride is $0.50 (one-way), and seniors and people with disabilities can ride for $0.25. There is also an option to purchase an unlimited single-day pass for $1. If riders have a valid Amtrak ticket for that day, they can ride the shuttle for free. Hillary Blackerby, the planning and marketing manager for Santa Barbara MTD, said that this year, they are launching contactless pay on the shuttle.
Blackerby explained that the enclosed, fully air-conditioned electric shuttle is smaller than MTD’s buses, holding approximately 38 people. Each shuttle is fully accessible and equipped for people with any mobility needs. MTD anticipates having three shuttles out at a time.
“We are glad to bring back this beloved shuttle,” Blackerby said.
MTD is working closely with the City of Santa Barbara to reestablish a funding partnership for the shuttle.
See the Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle’s route and more at sbmtd.gov/routes/downtown-waterfront-shuttles/.
