About 600,000 fewer people are traveling to downtown State Street every year than before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Robin Elander, executive director of the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association.

Elander appeared Monday on the latest episode of Josh Molina’s podcast, Santa Barbara Talks. She said smartphone data that tracks people’s whereabouts shows a decline in some parts of State Street since the pandemic, but an increase in other parts of the city.

“We really are seeing this as a concerning data point,” she said. “We want to make sure that our beloved downtown businesses that make our community function are able to get the highest number of customers we could offer them.”

The DSBIA has launched a petition and plans to ask the City Council to open State Street to one lane of vehicles between the 400 and 1200 blocks. It also wants to install retractable bollards to close the street for special occasions or events.

“This proposal is really an effort to reunite our community,” Elander said. “Obviously, our community is very divided on this. This proposal allows us to have a balanced, flexible approach. It’s an opportunity to re-introduce vehicles in a one-lane configuration, while still having space for outdoor dining and safer, designated spaces for pedestrians and bikes.”

The proposal comes at a time when the city recently terminated its contract with MIG and plans to hire a new consultant to oversee the State Street Master Plan.

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Joshua Molina is a journalist and college instructor who interviews a wide variety of people on the issues of education, housing, politics, culture and business. He is a former reporter at the San Jose Mercury News. He also teaches at a community college. Visit SantaBarbaraTalks.com to sign up for his newsletter and make a contribution to this individually owned podcast.