Calls to reopen State Street to cars are rooted in outdated thinking. Let’s not forget that multiple outside firms — hired by the city at great expense — recommended a pedestrian promenade, modeled after successful examples like Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado.
Retail isn’t struggling because people can’t drive by. It’s struggling due to high rents and the shift to online shopping. I know — I used to own a shop on State Street that closed in 2018. The issue wasn’t car access; it was economic reality.
Most local business owners I speak with agree: the promenade has brought more foot traffic, more locals, and more tourists downtown — and has played a major role in their survival. And let’s be honest, most people didn’t drive down State Street to shop. They did it to cruise, blast music, or because they took a wrong turn. You couldn’t park there anyway.
Instead of turning back the clock, let’s focus on improving what we’ve started. With smart design, better infrastructure, and continued community investment, the State Street promenade can thrive — and so can the businesses along with it.
Consumer behavior has changed. Santa Barbara needs to stay forward-thinking — not fall back on nostalgia for a version of downtown that no longer meets the moment.
