Ventura, CA Makes Car-Free Main Street Permanent

The Ventura, California city council voted to keep Main Street closed to cars, permanently extending a pandemic-era program dubbed Main Street Moves.

As Tony Biasotti reports in the Ventura County Star, in a crowded council meeting, only three residents spoke against the closre, while 74 others testified in favor. Last year, a group of property owners sued the city to reopen the street to cars. They lost the suit, but an appeal is ongoing.

The city will make changes to the streetscape to make the closure permanent that could include “more lighting, bike racks, landscaping and seating, along with public art, children's play areas, overhead signs and decorative paving.” Restaurants with outdoor dining patios will also be required to meet new standards. “The city is also planning to install a permanent public restroom downtown, and replace the temporary street barriers that have been in place since 2020 with bollards custom designed for the purpose.” 

Although some business owners say the closure has brought lower sales and higher vacancies, a report from The Star shows that vacancy rates on Main Street are similar to the rest of the city. Sales tax revenue in the closure area went up dramatically during the pandemic and leveled off in 2023. Since the early days of the pandemic, other cities have reversed their open streets programs, with only a few keeping Covid-era outdoor dining programs intact.