Community leaders, residents report Broadway Beautification plan ready; urge commission to adopt

Two downtown residents reported to the City Commission that the Broadway Beautification Project has construction drawings in place, a parking plan that increases spaces, and community support; they urged the commission and staff to move quickly to secure state funding and let contracts in May.

Ray Parsons, who said he met with city staff about the Broadway plan, reported there are adopted construction drawings and that community leaders he consulted support the project. Parsons urged staff to move rapidly to implement the plan and to pursue state funding and contract letting in May.

Tom Kapp said he obtained a survey and revised the plan to reconfigure parking — adding parallel and angle parking and extra sidewalks — and estimated the redesign would provide roughly two‑and‑a‑half times the existing parking in affected blocks. Kapp said some lane closures and signal changes would be required and that state approvals and traffic studies might affect timing, but that the construction work itself should not block the schedule.

Both speakers asked the commission to encourage staff to adopt the plan and proceed with the state funding process.

Ray Parsons: “I think there's some important dates coming up in May as far as, letting contracts and committing to the plan to get the state funding.”

Tom Kapp: “It ended up being about 2 and a half times the parking that's on Broadway now… Mostly light changes and a little bit of lane change stuff. So looks like it could work.”