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Local News for a Global Village | www.VoiceSB.com
May 21, 2021
Downtown & Waterfront Shuttles to Remain Suspended
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OLLOWING GREAT PUBLIC OUTCRY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, Santa Barbara’s Downtown and Waterfront shuttles have been, for the time-being, saved from termination. Suspended amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara MTD proposed the shuttles’ termination last month after the City of Santa Barbara’s announcement that it is no longer able to subsidize the service. Yet as of May 18th, the MTD Board of Directors unanimously voted to continue the shuttles’ suspension rather than terminate the service altogether. “The board definitely heard the public and understands the importance of this service that’s been around for 30 years now,” said Hillary Blackerby, MTD’s Planning and Marketing Manager. “I would say that if people are concerned about it and want to see it back in some form or another that they now engage with the City Council and the State Street master planning process to make it clear that they think it’s an important component of our downtown.” The Downtown and Waterfront Shuttles, running on lines 30 and 31 respectively, have served the community since the early 1990s. Charging only 50 cents per ride, the electric shuttles offer tourists and locals alike with accessible and efficient transportation to some of the area’s most popular attractions. Historically, the service’s low fare and general operations have been made possible through the City of Santa Barbara’s contributing approximately $1.2 million per year from its Public Works Department’s Downtown Parking fund. However, in May 2020, the City informed MTD that it would not be able to continue the subsidy due to insufficient funds. This lack of funding, combined with State Street’s ongoing closure to vehicular traffic, ultimately led MTD to propose the service’s termination this past April. Yet upon this announcement, dozens of Santa Barbara community members reached out to MTD to express their support for the Downtown and Waterfront shuttles. 112 people responded to MTD’s online survey on its proposed service changes, with the majority of responses supporting the shuttles’ maintenance. MTD also received a petition addressed to the Santa Barbara City Council as well as the MTD General Manager and Board of Directors, which was signed by 76 individuals and called for the immediate reinstatement of the shuttle services.
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Several community members further called for the service’s continuation by sending emails to MTD, while others voiced their support during MTD public outreach meetings. According to Blackerby, MTD received feedback from a wide range of people, from locals who utilize the service regularly to out-of-town Santa Barbara County residents who use the shuttles after arriving in Santa Barbara by train. “As a downtown resident I need this service restored,” shared one community member during MTD’s April 28th community meeting. “Those of us who live downtown without a car cannot wait for the State Street planning process to be completed for this service to be restored.” In addition to requests that the shuttles resume their services now, community members further suggested how the service may be reworked to accommodate State Street’s closure to vehicular traffic. Some recommended that the Downtown Shuttle be rerouted to cover additional downtown streets, while others suggested only maintaining the Waterfront Shuttle. Still other individuals proposed the course of action that the MTD Board of Directors ultimately decided upon — continuing the shuttles’ suspension rather than terminating the service completely. “Suspension is a no harm, no foul, at least there’s a place to start discussions from,” remarked MTD Board of Directors Chair Dave Davis during the May 18th meeting. He further commented on the many unknowns surrounding the shuttles’ future, including the return of cruise ships to the area, financial support, and the fact that MTD’s current contract with the City is due to end in June 2022. Going forward, the Downtown and Waterfront shuttles will remain suspended from their traditional roles, instead being repurposed to help serve MTD’s Line 3 route covering Cottage Hospital, Samarkand, and La Cumbre. In the meantime, the City of Santa Barbara continues working toward creating its new budget plans. The budget presentation for the Public Works Department, which has traditionally supplied funding for the Downtown and Waterfront shuttles, is scheduled for 9am on Wednesday, May 26th. Photos courtesy of MTD
By Daisy Scott / VOICE
For more information on additional MTD service changes, as well as to view ongoing routes, visit www.sbmtd.gov. To learn more about the City of Santa Barbara’s proposed 2022 & 2023 financial plans, visit www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/finance/budget/recommended.asp