Loop Shuttle Launches 

State Street is in the loop again!

On May 29 the Loop Shuttle begins cruising the city’s (pre-pandemic) main drag now known as the State Street Promenade. The shuttle is one of 11 official short-term action items identified in the new State Street Master Plan, which was designed to test solutions that “support a more walkable, accessible and vibrant downtown experience.” The Loop Shuttle is not to be confused with MTD’s Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle, which runs along Cabrillo between the zoo and the harbor, as well as from the base of Stearns Wharf to Sola Street via Chapala and Anacapa streets.  

The similarly electric Loop Shuttle is much smaller, comprising two five-seater electric golf carts and one ADA-compliant cart, which will run in a continuous loop on State from Cabrillo to Sola Street. Stops are easy to spot, and the ride is even cheaper than the nominal fare for MTD’s vehicle, as it’s free. The State Street Loop will run every Thursday through Sunday from 12 noon to 7 pm until late November. As part of the “Pilot with a Purpose,” onboard iPads will be available for quick rider feedback throughout the test period, giving community members a direct role in the process of refining and expanding downtown mobility.

The bad news? Now, you might have something else to dodge besides teenagers speeding on e-bikes.

Dancing in the Street

One of the places you might want to visit via the new shuttle: The 500 block of State, where every Wednesday in June from 6-8 pm brings West Coast Swing to the street in the heart of downtown. Summer’s here and the time is right… All we need is music, sweet music… There’ll be swinging, swaying… and records playing. Yep, Martha Reeves had it right 60 years ago: There’s nothing like dancing in the street. 

Westie Wednesdays begin each week at 6 pm with free lessons in swinging terpsichore provided by Bryan Gin of Serenity Swing, who also teaches at the Dance Hub on E. Victoria. Social dancing continues from 7-8 pm. Following a dinner break, during which swingers can refuel at sponsors Hibachi or The Cruisery, re-energized swingers can file into Casa Agria (418 State) for two more hours of open West Coast Swing from 9-11 pm. 

Remember: It doesn’t matter what you wear / Just as long as you are there.