By Maya Meinert
Special to the Daily Press

DOWNTOWN — With only two shopping days left before the big day, many people are heading to downtown-area retail stores to get those last-minute gifts, and they’re paying a price — not necessarily from their wallets, but in their cars.

Traffic gets worse around the holidays, especially since many people procrastinate in regards to buying gifts. A survey released last Monday by the National Retail Federation showed that about 15 percent — or more than 33 million shoppers — had not even started their holiday shopping. The average person had only completed about half of his or her shopping by Dec. 18.

This means more cars on the road and more headaches trying to get through traffic and find parking.

By 10:30 a.m. on Friday, downtown-area parking lots were already filling up. City garage No. 2, near Second Street and Arizona Avenue, was more than two-thirds full, and No. 3, near Fourth Street and Arizona Avenue, was almost 90 percent full.

But Santa Monica’s downtown, a busy retail shopping area, has proven a mixed bag when it comes to holiday traffic.

“This is one of our busiest times,” said Lucy Dyke, the city’s transportation planning manager. “[But] our downtown is busy most of the year ... I was downtown earlier today [Thursday], and I didn’t notice a lot of traffic congestion, even though a lot of people are parking and shopping.

“We do anticipate extra demand in the downtown area ... but there aren’t that many more people,” she said. “It’s an increase and we plan for it and try to be accommodating, but it’s incremental over other busy times, [like] summer, the Farmers’ Market and weekends.”

People who come to the area often have seen varied traffic flows.

“Yesterday, it took me 20 to 25 minutes to get to the top of the [Santa Monica Place parking] structure,” said Shana Stewart, 21, a part-time sales associate at Rip Curl on Third Street Promenade. “Today, it took me like five minutes.”

Shoppers and promenade employees reported a discernible increase in traffic as it gets closer to Christmas.

“I always try to get out by 3 p.m. for sure, just to get on the 10 [freeway],” said Rip Curl regional manager Wendy Widhalm.

Stewart and Widhalm acknowledged the increase in parking structure traffic, but wondered where those people were going.

“People are walking around and looking, but they’re not carrying bags,” said Widhalm. “[Foot traffic] has been slower than last year. Stores just aren’t full.”

THERE’S MORE IN STORE

Despite the many people driving to and parking at downtown retail areas, stores may not have seen as many shoppers this year, at least not yet.

“With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, retailers have one more weekend to bring in those holiday procrastinators,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Tracy Mullin in a press release. “In the predictably chaotic days before Christmas, retailers will be ready and waiting for the final rush of the season.”

Dyke said that to ensure maximum traffic flow during the holidays, the city doesn’t approve any permits to close lanes in downtown.

“We are trying to avoid some of the things that really do put us over the edge with congestion,” she said.

Dyke also said that traffic officers also help out when traffic gets heavy.

“When it gets to be very congested, automated traffic signals are less effective, especially when you have balanced traffic flow in both directions,” she said. “That’s when the police are out.”

While the city doesn’t have any special plans for traffic this holiday season, there is a traffic signal timing plan in the works for the future. The city has just hired a consultant to come up with timing patterns for traffic lights on Fourth Street, between California Avenue and Pico Boulevard, according to Gerald Tom, Santa Monica’s transportation engineer. He said that timing on the Fourth Street lights in this area will be finished in the next few months, with plans to expand the project to downtown by early 2008.

“We’re working with the police department to determine traffic patterns during the holidays and summer,” Tom said. “[The Fourth Street lights are] not going to be as effective, but they will help. Once we have downtown, it will be much better.”

Those looking to avoid such traffic headaches are being encouraged by the city to make use of the Holiday Shoppers’ Shuttle — Big Blue Buses wrapped up like presents that offer discounted rates for shoppers. The buses service the downtown area and parking structures.

“An interesting thing about Santa Monica is ... we have a downtown where people can walk,” said Dyke. “A lot of the residents do walk, and a lot of them take the bus and employees take the bus. It’s a good alternative to having to drive.”

Visit parkingspacenow.smgov.net to see how many parking spaces are left in downtown parking structures in real time.

news@smdp.com