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Galt council adopts parade route that includes C Street via Fourth‑Street loop; staff to analyze buying barricades
Summary
After public comment and business outreach, the council voted 5–0 to set the city’s official parade route to an option that includes a Fourth‑Street/C‑Street loop (Route 3) and asked staff to return with a cost analysis on purchasing barricades rather than renting them.
The Galt City Council on Oct. 7 selected a revised parade route that extends the city’s traditional downtown parade into Old Town C Street via a short Fourth‑Street loop, and directed staff to evaluate buying barricades for future events.
Parks and Recreation staff presented six route options after workshops with businesses and a public meeting. Staff recommended a temporary route used in recent parades that minimized neighborhoods isolated by road closures and lowered staffing and contractor costs; businesses on C Street urged an extended route to increase foot traffic for downtown merchants.
Council members discussed tradeoffs between safety, cost and business access. Public safety staff recommended a route that simplified closures and reduced infiltration points; business owners and local residents urged returning to a route that included C Street. Parks staff presented estimated contractor costs for each route: the route recommended by staff (Route 4, temporary route) was priced at about $34,000–$35,000; the extended Fourth/C loop (Route 3) was estimated at about $48,095 (difference driven by additional traffic control equipment and barricade placements).
Council action: After public comment from downtown business owners and residents favoring the C Street alignment, Council Member Pratt moved to approve Route 3 and asked staff to return with a cost analysis on purchasing barricades rather than renting them. Vice Mayor Sandhu seconded. The motion passed 5–0 (Vice Mayor Sandhu—Aye; Council Member Pratten—Aye; Council Member Reid—Aye; Council Member Rodriguez—Aye; Mayor Farmer—Yes).
Why it matters: Council members said they wanted to balance event safety with economic benefit for downtown businesses. Several business owners told the council the C Street corridor brought patrons to downtown shops and food vendors during recent Concerts on C Street and would do the same for parade nights.
Operational details: Staff will implement Route 3 for city parades and will budget the event in regular budget cycles; purchase-versus-rent analysis for barricades and traffic-control equipment will be returned to council for consideration prior to the next major parade.
Ending: The council’s vote finalizes the city’s official parade route; staff will prepare a barricade procurement and cost analysis for council review ahead of future parades.
