Baker City Council pauses decision on Main Street lane reconfiguration after extended public comment

Baker City — City staff and a broadly composed Main Street Committee presented a proposal to reconfigure Main Street from four through lanes to a two-lane roadway with a center turn lane and buffer space between parked cars and moving traffic, but the City Council declined to make a final decision and tabled the proposal for a future meeting.

The committee, formed after repeated complaints from downtown business owners and residents, spent roughly nine months reviewing crash data supplied by the Oregon Department of Transportation and holding a town hall in September, staff said. Staff told the council the change is intended to reduce near-misses at uncontrolled crosswalks, lower vehicle speeds and create a seven-foot buffer to give people space to open car doors and exit parked vehicles safely. Staff estimated the local cost at about $100,000–$170,000, with potential partial support from ODOT safety funds if matched.

Supporters at the council meeting said the committee’s review of crash histories and on-the-ground observations persuaded them that the reconfiguration would make downtown more walkable and calm vehicle speeds. “There’s a buffer to actually navigate — there’s plenty of room to get in and out of your car,” Beverly Calder, a downtown resident and business owner, said as she urged the council to back the change.

Opponents pressed for alternatives and more granular evidence. Several speakers asked for crash-by-crash details, comparisons to Campbell Street after its conversion, and an analysis of whether enforcement, targeted flashing beacons or selective crossing improvements could address the problem without a full reconfiguration. “I want to see those numbers,” Carrie Day said, asking for the underlying accident reports and time-of-day/causation breakdowns referenced in the staff packet.

Residents also raised concerns about snow removal, how a center turn lane would affect event traffic and emergency access, and whether narrowing Main Street would push traffic onto smaller side streets. One commenter urged more accessible outreach for people with hearing impairment and clearer social-media links to the staff packet.

Staff and committee members cited both aggregated ODOT crash statistics and anecdotal near-miss reports collected at the town hall. Council members debated whether limited enforcement or lower-cost crossing devices might produce similar safety gains and whether funding should be committed while statewide transportation funding remains uncertain.

Given the mix of community sentiment and outstanding technical questions, the council opted not to vote. The chair said the item will return for more outreach and for council review of the requested crash-level data and more detailed cost breakdowns.

Next steps: staff will post the crash data and packet materials to the city’s meetings/webcast page and return the item to a future council meeting after additional public outreach and data review.