Santa Fe council weighs permanent Plaza traffic closures, lane compromise

Santa Fe city councilors are set to vote Wednesday night on a plan that would permanently close Lincoln Avenue and Palace Avenue next to Plaza Park while keeping one lane of traffic open year-round. The revised proposal comes after criticism of a broader closure plan, and it now asks whether the Plaza can be quieter and safer for walkers without cutting off the parking, delivery and access routes that downtown businesses and nearby visitors still rely on.

The draft resolution, introduced by Councilors Patricia Feghali and Alma Castro, would amend Resolution Nos. 2014-49 and 2016-80. Under the language now before the City Council of Santa Fe, the streets surrounding Plaza Park would be closed each year from Memorial Day to October 31 or later, while Lincoln Avenue and Palace Avenue would stay shut permanently beside the park. One report said the councilors amended the idea so that one lane would remain open year-round, a sign that the city is trying to preserve some vehicle access instead of moving to a fully pedestrian-only Plaza.

The stakes are unusually high because the Plaza sits at the center of downtown Santa Fe on a square block bordered by San Francisco Street, Washington Avenue, Palace Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. City historical material describes it as the commercial, social and political center of Santa Fe since 1610, and the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The same historical record links the Plaza to Oga Pogeh Owingeh, underscoring the Indigenous history that predates Spanish settlement and still shapes how many residents view any change there.

Supporters of the closures have long argued that less traffic would make the Plaza safer and more usable for public gatherings, ceremonies, festivals and daily foot traffic. But the tradeoffs are immediate for downtown businesses, workers and residents who still need to reach the core by car. Permanent closures on Lincoln and Palace could shift congestion to surrounding streets, make it harder for delivery trucks to reach storefronts, and create new questions about access for older residents and people with mobility needs.

The council’s move comes after earlier versions of the idea were aimed at closing the Plaza to vehicle traffic during peak tourist months, with committee discussion followed by a possible final vote the next week. The current version is narrower, but it would still mark one of the most consequential traffic changes around Santa Fe Plaza in years, reshaping how one of the city’s most visible blocks functions through the busiest months of the year and beyond.