Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen’s March 25 Instagram post about Lower State Street was spot on. In fact, I don’t want to be dramatic but I don’t think there is any hope for State Street.
As Macfadyen points out, the City of Santa Barbara spent $11million on the redo of the Highway 101 underpass. Is it $11 million better? I can’t see it.
To those who made comments asking, “Why do those who want it (State Street) opened to cars think that businesses will get better?”
Oh gosh, only because every other downtown business district is doing OK, and not a racetrack for those bikes from hell … E-bikes.
Lastly, I made a comment on another site saying, “Show me another city in the U.S. that closed their downtown street to traffic and it’s doing good?”
I got four responses:
- Burlington, Vermont. Yes, the city created a four-block section as a pedestrian mall in 1981. Last time I checked, Burlington is under many feet of snow half the year so I’m not sure why it’s comparable.
- Fremont Street, Las Vegas. Yes, five blocks closed in 1995 — in a metro area of millions of people with more millions visiting every year. How it compares, I don’t know.
- Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado, opened in 1977 (Jimmy Carter was president) and it’s 25 miles from metropolitan Denver. Again, not sure how this compares to Santa Barbara.
- Last one was the one closest to us, the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Just three blocks long, it was created in 1965. I was 6 years old.
Dan Seibert
Santa Barbara
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Regarding the March 24 article, “Attorney General Files Lawsuit Challenging Sable Oil-Production Restart,” this is a note to our environmental frenemies who cannot stand the idea of developing our local oil resources.
They work tirelessly to delay or stop Sable Offshore Corp. and any practical measure that would make production safer and transportation possible in Santa Barbara County. They loudly promote green energy while pretending we can do without fossil fuels — as if the modern world runs on slogans instead of fuel.
They also seem unwilling to acknowledge the real costs of energy: the fuel that moves our cars, trucks, airplanes and ships, and the way those costs ripple through food prices and everything else we buy.
I wonder whether they’ll be so indifferent when the prices keep climbing?
Once the free flow of foreign oil is restricted, we’ll be left to depend more heavily on our own oil fields — a resource we are fortunate to have — to soften the blow.
Thankfully, companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron can still help supply the fuel and products we need from other states, whether by pipeline or truck. Shudder the thought.
J.W. Burk
Santa Barbara
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Regarding Noozhawk publisher Bill Macfadyen’s March 20 column, “In-N-Out Hopes New Proposal Has an Easier Drive Through Buellton,” In-N-Out will get booted again.
Two members of the Buellton City Council live within yards of this 3,000-vehicle draw off Highway 101. Mayor David Silva and Councilwoman Carla Mead opposed this burger joint last time. Two other members will oppose.
In-N-Out Burger will add needless traffic woes to the Highway 246/McMurray Road intersection. Buellton does not need this time-wasting distraction.
Other clueless developers are on their greedy way to tear down beloved Pea Soup Andersen’s and add 125 condominiums to satisfy the hated Democrat scheme called “builders remedy.”
NO THANKS! We’ve seen it all before.
A.J. Tarman
Buellton
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Regarding the March 21 article, “Project to Replace Railroad Bridge Over Santa Ynez River Mouth,” replacing the Ocean Park railroad bridge is a necessity created by the corrosive nature of the sea air as it moves under, over and around the metal bridge structure.
I have visited Ocean Park on the county side of the river estuary many times. In July 2023, I took some pictures of severely corroded metal plates that were holding the bridge together and sent them to the Union Pacific railroad with a suggestion that their engineers evaluate the connections to determine their structural stability.
I have no idea if they ever did such an inspection since they did not reply to my suggestion. But they have replaced other metal bridges along the same rail line within the confines of Vandenberg Space Force Base.
I worked for several years on the launch sites at Vandenberg, and I assure you that corrosion control was a year-round activity on the metal structures. Even with all this effort, these structures often required replacement of corrosion-damaged parts so the mission could continue.
I hope that when this project is completed the railroad has an aggressive corrosion control program.
Ron Fink
Lompoc
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Many years ago there was an amazing family-type encampment within the bamboo. Once discovered, they were kicked out, and the bamboo was removed.
The bamboo had been and the families living among it had been there for years. Most of it was 4 inches around and bigger.
My first time going into this village, I was blown away at how amazing and hidden it was. There were families under its protection. People left daily to go to work. There were family quarters, dining areas and communal areas.
It wasn’t full of trash or human waste like we hear about on the news. No, this encampment was different. I’ve yet to come across anything even close to this. There was order, respect and rules.
Dr. Lynne Jahnke, the late Ken Williams and I would go visit one a week. Jahnke volunteered her time for medical care and Williams checked in to se what agency they might need or handed out referrals for food and amenities. I was there to help and to learn.
Then the day came that they became exposed and the bamboo was torn out. What followed there were people on the sidewalks, under the overpasses and on the beach.
People complained of this sudden presence. So tickets started coming. Overnight they had gone from peaceful family life in seclusion, to exposure, ridicule and tickets they couldn’t pay.
The change in the ecosystem, in the refuge for the birds and other creatures wasn’t a concern. To some, it was the beginning of the end. All concern if any, swept under the rug. Refuge it is no longer.
Kitti Sisley
Goleta
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