Santa Barbara considers a one block, two-way solution on Anacapa Street to relieve traffic issues

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Traffic flow solutions are in the works to relieve congestion in downtown Santa Barbara. 

It's in part because the new promenade cuts off the vehicle flow on State Street for multiple blocks.   There's also more people on the move now than when the COVID pandemic began and the car-free promenade was approved.

One solution is to turn a section of Anacapa Street, now with only a one-way vehicle flow, into a two way street.  It would be for one block only, between Haley Street and Gutierrez Street.

"If you're going westbound on Gutierrez Street, once you are past Santa Barbara Street, just the way the one way streets work there you are forced to go all the way to State Street," said Santa Barbara City Transportation Engineer Derrick Bailey.

He says having traffic in both directions would be a, "relief valve for that area."

The proposal is just for the one block, and he says, "it will relieve the traffic burden."

It's one of the heaviest used streets in downtown.

Bailey spoke recently to the State Street Advisory Committee.

The city plans an informational meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. via zoom.

More can be found at : Anacapa Street changes.