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South Coast City Approves Improvements To Enhance COVID-19 Inspired Al Fresco Dining

A South Coast city is going to beef up the promenade it created on its main street to help businesses impacted by the coronavirus crisis.  The Santa Barbara City Council approved spending $250,000 to add large plants in planters, and strand light to parts of State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara. 

The 50 plants in giant ceramic planters will serve as barricades at intersections to prevent vehicles from driving on the street, while allowing pedestrian and bicycle traffic to pass.  There are also plans to paint a bike path on the street to help prevent conflicts between bicyclists and pedestrians. 

The changes will replace a number of temporary barriers currently being used at key intersections.  Santa Barbara was one of the first cities in the region to allow restaurants to expand out onto sidewalks, and the streets to accommodate social distancing requirements.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.