Once again, our mayor has taken to the Independent to air his concerns over State Street, and as usual those concerns are at odds with the other councilmembers, the general public, and all available facts and studies.
But let me take a step back and talk about something positive. Over the last month, Strong Towns Santa Barbara , the local advocacy group I founded and help run, has been hard at work writing public comments, attending meetings, and passing out State Street posters. That last item is something I’m especially proud of. One of our members created a beautiful poster featuring the slogan “Bike, Walk, Thrive” with the goal of getting businesses owners up and down the promenade to hang them in their windows in support of a car-free and bike-friendly State Street. We’ve talked to over 40 business owners, from clothing stores to restaurateurs, and have heard one overwhelming response: “Yes, please!” Next time you walk or bike up the street, keep an eye out for the orange and blue posters!
Now on to the mayor’s claims. In his article, he says that “the lack of traffic downtown is taking its toll,” implying that the lack of cars is responsible for empty storefronts. This ignores the fact that every single parking space that existed before the pandemic still exists today — street parking on State hasn't existed for decades. Even so, the argument that if people could drive by and park directly in front of stores, more people would shop is commonplace. This rationale is used time and time again despite the fact that malls surrounded by vast purpose-designed parking lots have been failing across America for several decades; we needn’t look further than La Cumbre Plaza to see this. Still, some argue that the dynamics are different for main streets and that they need car access to thrive.