Santa Barbara City Council Considers Future of Bikes on State Street Promenade

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A handful of motorcycle advocates confirmed up — nearly — in entrance of the Santa Barbara Metropolis Council to make the case that cyclists are important for State Avenue. Not solely can cyclists coexist with the brand new promenade paradigm, they argued, however their presence will add to the vitality of avenue life. Some expressed concern {that a} public use — like biking — may very well be compelled out by “the privatization” of the road by outside bars and eating places.

Since State Avenue was closed to site visitors from Haley to Sola Streets, Metropolis Corridor has heard complaints in regards to the in-your-face acrobatic exuberance of wheelie poppers. In response, the five hundred block of State Avenue was closed off to all riders. Privately, Mayor Cathy Murillo has been concerned in efforts to attach the youthful riders with older, extra skilled mentors who would possibly reasonable their extra defiant vitality. Others famous that wheelie crews have all the time been on State Avenue however have solely change into a difficulty because the promenade opened within the wake of the pandemic.

Within the meantime, town’s Historic Landmarks Fee (HLC) is attempting to place the kibosh on plans to open downtown Santa Barbara — and State Avenue — to a brand new electric-bike share program that the Trek bicycle firm hopes to launch this fall. The Metropolis Council authorized a contract with Trek a number of months previous to the COVID onslaught that known as for as many as 350 e-bike docks on State Avenue and one other 200 alongside the waterfront. A majority of the HLC members made it clear at a gathering final week they didn’t assume the e-bike plan nonetheless made sense within the wake of the pandemic and the promenade. Trek representatives and metropolis site visitors planners argued the HLC’s sole decision-making authority was over the colour of the electrical bicycle docks. The HLC members weren’t persuaded, and the dispute may nicely be appealed to the Metropolis Council.

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