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City staff outline State Street pilot projects including 500-block 'pedlets' and a golf-cart loop
Summary
City planners described a package of short-term pilot projects for State Street — preapproved outdoor furniture, sidewalk-extending modular 'pedlets' on the 500 block, seasonal MTD shuttle service and a golf-cart 'State Street Loop' pilot — and answered accessibility and funding questions from the Access Advisory Committee.
Tess Harris, the State Street master planner in the city administrator’s office, briefed the Access Advisory Committee on a portion of the short-term action plan the City Council approved in September.
Harris said the plan includes a refresh of the 1200 block by the Granada Theater, a set of preapproved outdoor-furniture standards for businesses, a pilot using modular sidewalk extenders called “Pedlets” on the 500 block, a seasonal MTD waterfront shuttle and a separate golf-cart loop on State Street.
"The Pedlets... essentially extend the sidewalk space by an additional 8 feet," Harris said, describing the units as modular pieces manufactured by Modstreet. She said the city has ordered the units and expects installation on the 500 block around August as a timed pilot.
Why it matters: committee members and staff framed the pilots as test projects to evaluate how expanded sidewalk dining and microtransit would affect accessibility, pedestrian travel and future capital planning. Several members pressed staff on how the pilots would protect an uninterrupted path of travel, fees charged to businesses and who pays for the pilots.
Key program details - Preapproved furniture: Staff described a catalog of preapproved tables, chairs and planters being developed with the Historic Landmarks Commission; businesses must either choose from the list or pursue regular design review. Harris said the standard will require at least one ADA-compliant table option and that the requirement becomes effective by 2026 or upon master-plan completion.
- Pedlets (500 block pilot): Pedlets are modular 8-by-4-foot sidewalk extenders designed to move dining closer to building frontages and reserve an at-least-8-foot clear pedestrian corridor. Harris said the pilot aims to test user experience and whether expanded sidewalks can be a long-term approach. She said the city has ordered pedlets and expects them to arrive late summer.
- MTD shuttle: The seasonal MTD waterfront shuttle will run Fridays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and operate on Chapala and Anacapa streets, the presenters said. Staff described the vehicle as an electric, smaller-scale bus rather than the historic open-air trolley.
- State Street Loop (golf-cart pilot): The city is contracting a pilot microtransit loop using three golf carts that will circulate State Street between the waterfront and Victoria Street, Thursday through Sunday, noon to 7 p.m., beginning May 29 and running through November. The service is a partnership with Friends of State Street and a local operator, Sweep Santa Barbara.
Accessibility and operational concerns Committee members repeatedly pressed staff to ensure the pilots preserve an unobstructed path of travel. Harris and Sarah Clark, Public Works downtown team manager, described design intentions to keep an 8-foot clear route on pedlets and to provide ADA-compliant ramps at transitions.
Several committee members raised equity and capacity questions about the State Street Loop’s accessibility. One member noted the pilot’s configuration offers a single wheelchair space across three carts and said that configuration could force wheelchair users to wait up to 20 minutes or more for an accessible spot. "One out of 18 seats is accessible," the member said, urging staff to reconsider the mix of accessible capacity.
Funding and fees Committee members asked how the city would fund the pedlet pilot and whether sidewalk dining fees would decline. Harris said council approved funding for multiple pilots in April and staff reallocated Measure C funds from projects not coming online in the next year. Sarah Clark said outdoor dining license fees are lower than parklet fees because of the city’s reduced maintenance responsibility when dining is adjacent to a building rather than in the street, and staff will continue to evaluate fee calibration.
Next steps Staff said they will monitor the pilots, refine curbside transitions and coordinate with businesses on furniture selection. The city will collect operational data and community feedback to inform long-term decisions for State Street’s master plan.
