DDA weighs Main Street road‑diet pilot, wayfinding and private parking options amid downtown capacity concerns

Board members discussed options to reduce congested downtown parking and to improve wayfinding as part of a possible Main Street road‑diet pilot. Speaker 5 said preliminary consultant conversations suggested a Main Street pilot for 2025 and that the 14‑Mile concept remains under development with funding mechanisms still being finalized.

Consultant estimates cited in discussion put potential on‑street gains from a Main Street reconfiguration at roughly 50–100 spaces from North Main to La Pla, and a 14‑Mile conversion netting an estimated 70–80 spaces. Speaker 3 said the road‑diet options were not guaranteed and emphasized the need to socialize plans with city council before final design.

Members discussed short‑term measures to address peak parking demand — color‑coded lot mapping, wayfinding signage, and agreements with private property owners to share spaces. Speaker 6 noted underused parking behind some businesses and proposed promoting those lots via signage and social media.

During public comment, Bob Smith (Speaker 8) asked for a contact for the May Open Air Affair and urged the board and council to require a traffic study before implementing a road diet. "A traffic study be done," Smith said, noting thresholds that guide road‑diet recommendations. The board agreed to invite planning consultants to a future meeting and to coordinate with council on any pilot requiring city permission.

What happens next: planning consultants (Giffels Webster was mentioned) agreed to attend a February meeting for further discussion; board members said they'd continue outreach to property owners about private parking options and refine wayfinding strategies.