Downtown State Street in Santa Barbara has been closed to vehicles since May 2020. The city released a draft master plan that would widen the sidewalks and create lanes for bicyclists and vehicles. Retractable bollards would open and close the roadway to vehicles depending on the time of day.
Downtown State Street in Santa Barbara has been closed to vehicles since May 2020. The city released a draft master plan that would widen the sidewalks and create lanes for bicyclists and vehicles. Retractable bollards would open and close the roadway to vehicles depending on the time of day. Credit: Noozhawk file photo

The debate over closing part of Santa Barbara’s State Street to vehicles has been going on for decades, and never more fervently than the past six years, since the city actually did it in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It seems everyone has an opinion about downtown Santa Barbara’s future. 

More than 350 Noozhawk readers weighed in on the draft master plan through staff writer Rebecca Caraway’s recent callout for reactions.

The proposal is to have both a pedestrian promenade and a street via retractable bollards. Pedestrians and bikes would get to use it for half the day (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and vehicles would get access for the other half, according to the draft master plan.  

The City Council is scheduled to talk about the proposal on Tuesday in what promises to be a long and historic meeting. 

The meeting is set to start at 2 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers at 735 Anacapa St. The plan can be reviewed here, and comments can be sent to statestreetmasterplan@santabarbaraca.gov. 

The City of Santa Barbara released the draft master plan for downtown State Street, redesigning about one mile between Gutierrez and Sola streets.
The City of Santa Barbara released the draft master plan for downtown State Street, redesigning about one mile between Gutierrez and Sola streets. Credit: City of Santa Barbara photo

In the meantime, take a look back at the history of Santa Barbara and how downtown came to be the way it is today. 

Noozhawk published a series in 2017 and 2018 called Reimagine: Santa Barbara that focused on the past, present and future of the downtown corridor. 

“State Street is the cultural and commercial heart of Santa Barbara, known for its Spanish-style architecture and wide, red-brick sidewalks for locals and visitors to stroll along,” Noozhawk reported at the time.

That series spotlighted some challenges that are still debated: closing State Street to vehicles; building more housing downtown; concern over storefront vacancies; and how to address inappropriate street behavior.

There’s even a video tour of pre-pandemic State Street as captured by Noozhawk photographer Peter Hartmann.

To Promenade or Not to Promenade 

“The city’s 1964 General Plan called for the city to narrow State Street to two lanes from four, create a parking district and close a few blocks of the roadway to cars entirely, in the De la Guerra Street area,” Noozhawk reported in 2017.

State Street in Santa Barbara, shown before 1968 with the San Marcos Building in the foreground. At that time, major downtown retailers included Woolworth’s and Newberry’s.

State Street was narrowed and the parking district was formed, and the city built a network of public parking lots and garages. 

The paseo streetscaping effect, with widened sidewalks for pedestrians, was implemented along the State Street corridor and later expanded down to Cabrillo Boulevard. 

No part of the street was closed to cars, but the idea persisted, according to longtime locals Dave Davis, a former community development director and Community Environmental Council CEO, and former mayor and planning commissioner Sheila Lodge. 

Lodge shared that she tried to get two blocks closed as an experiment in the 1980s, and joked that she “nearly got hung from a lamppost” for suggesting it. 

Read more about the history of State Street here. 

A trolley drives along State Street in downtown Santa Barbara in 2017.
A trolley drives along State Street in downtown Santa Barbara in 2017. Credit: Noozhawk file photo

While the city’s master plan included a vehicle-free promenade for decades, business owners were concerned and the idea was removed, Davis said during a 2018 panel on the future of State Street. 

Business owners worried about reduced visibility, especially from the city’s millions of annual tourists. 

No one anticipated the pandemic, but that’s what prompted the city to actually close the downtown corridor to vehicles and allow restaurant parklets. 

Downtown State Street had one vehicle lane and one bike lane in each direction, with mid-block traffic lights for pedestrian crossings. 

A MTD shuttle and bicyclist head down State Street as seen in 2018.
An MTD shuttle and a bicyclist head down State Street as seen in 2018. Credit: Noozhawk file photo

The city initially closed the blocks between Sola and Haley streets to vehicles in May 2020.

The promenade has gone through several versions of bike lane designs and outdoor dining rules before landing where it is today. 

Last year, the city installed sidewalk extensions called “pedlets” to replace some restaurant parklets on State Street.

The pedestrian promenade was a hit with locals when it started, according to a city survey. 

While restaurants have generally favored the State Street closure and boosted their outdoor dining, others, including some store owners, have called for the city to bring back vehicle traffic.  

Restaurant outdoor dining set up on lower State Street, as seen in 2022. The city required some of this to move and allow a 20-foot fire lane in the middle of the road.
Restaurant outdoor dining set up on lower State Street, as seen in 2022. The city required some of this to move and allow a 20-foot fire lane in the middle of the road. Credit: Noozhawk file photo
Clay Holdren, the owner of Holdren's Steaks & Seafood on State Street in Santa Barbara, shows where the parklet used to be in front of his restaurant. Restaurants were required to remove their parklets when the city began adding pedlets, or sidewalk extensions, to the 500 block of State Street.
Clay Holdren, the owner of Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood on State Street in Santa Barbara, shows where the parklet used to be in front of his restaurant. In 2025, restaurants were required to remove their parklets when the city began adding pedlets, or sidewalk extensions, to the 500 block of State Street. Credit: Daniel Green / Noozhawk photo

Initial Reactions to Draft Master Plan

In their comments to Noozhawk, residents had mixed feelings about the draft master plan.

Some want the pre-pandemic street design, and others welcome the opportunity to permanently reimagine the corridor. Some just want the city to pick one already and get on with it. 

Some residents said they miss the regular trolleys along State Street, or wish the corridor still hosted the city’s famous parades. 

Many residents said they are concerned about the presence of high-speed electric bicycles using the promenade and want the city to address that in any plans for the corridor. 

Others point out the potential dangers of allowing cars again during the entertainment and bar district’s busiest late-night hours. 

When asked what they thought of the draft master plan, some people were brief and blunt: 

“Sounds bad.” “Best yet.” “Sensible enough.” “Waste of money.” “Sounds perfect.” “Doesn’t really solve the issue.” “OK.” “Excited.” 

A few elaborated responses: 

“State Street has thrived as a place to be, NOT as a place to go through. Prioritizing bikes/pedestrians makes that thriving happen,” Guthrie Leonard wrote. 

“It had its moment. Time to move on,” Stephanie Poole wrote. The proposal is similar to ideas that architects had in the 2020 Design Charette, they noted, but would cost much more. 

“The road being closed doesn’t help every business unless you sell food,” wrote Patrick Smitley, who works downtown. “I wanted it closed and when it was closed, reality set in. Big mistake.

“Too many clueless people think a bike lane is a mixed-use lane. Cyclists are having to dodge too many people, and now your electric shuttles make it worse.” 

Another person told Noozhawk: “Many pedestrians already walk on the street when it’s crowded, and many also walk directly in the bike lane, which is unsafe. Wider sidewalks would be a huge benefit to the safety and experience of pedestrians.”  

“More pedestrians means more businesses and less vacancy. The city should encourage them, not discourage them,” Don Donaldson wrote. 

“It will only work if the street becomes attractive; need enforcement of no loitering, no motorized vehicles, must be clean, eliminate city fees that discourage businesses.”

Peter Georgi said the city should reopen the street to vehicles, and more traffic means more visitation. “Parades are more important to me” than keeping the street closed to vehicles, he added. 

“State Street is starting to feel alive again! Cars would ruin that,” Vanessa Royle wrote. “We don’t need drunk drivers at night, and we need a safe walking path (free of e-bikes) for people to enjoy all that State Street has to offer.” 

“The current proposal for 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. prevents the street from becoming a true pedestrian promenade,” she wrote, suggesting a shorter window for delivery vehicles and noting that she hasn’t had an issue using side streets to deliver goods for her own business. 

Check back with Noozhawk for more stories on the draft master plan and the community’s response. 

Noozhawk executive editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.