SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The look of Santa Barbara’s downtown is changing on a regular basis and in an update to the Santa Barbara City Council, plans are in the works for a mini-shuttle and new configurations for some outside dining.
A monthly update is presented to the council titled, State Street Interim Operations .
Recently, new striping was added to identify areas where bikes should be going. That left some street area and the sidewalk for pedestrians.
There’s still an ongoing concern about higher speed electric bikes and over all safety, where bikes, cars and pedestrians are sharing spaces.
The city is also ready to revisit a mini-shuttle transportation system. A request for proposals is behind schedule and will be going out by the end of March. The city report said it was originally expected by the end of 2023, but “staffing and workload have delayed this effort.”
What’s been most apparent is the temporary bike lanes on State Street. They were marked off in December from the 500-1200 blocks. The staff said the Historic Landmarks Commission’s is involved and will assist in selecting appropriate vertical elements, “to provide and encourage orderly movement on State Street.” The changes will start in the 1200 block between Anapamu St. and Victoria St. and expand to other blocks.