Engineering study: Boyer Avenue not ready for on‑street parking under current configuration

An engineering assessment presented to the council on April 15 concluded that Boyer Avenue, a functioning truck and freight route, cannot safely support on‑street parking under its current cross‑section and operating conditions.

Public Works Director Holly Ellis summarized the consultant's conclusion: "Without any improvements to this corridor, is it feasible? The recommendation was no, not with the existing [conditions]," she said, citing safety, operations and alignment with the city’s multimodal transportation plan.

Councilmembers discussed alternatives including lowering the posted speed limit, shifting bike lanes or expanding the shared‑use path, and using capital funds (trail or sidewalk dollars) for short‑term improvements that could enable parking and encourage homes to front Boyer rather than back on to it. Planning staff noted some parcels already carry development approvals or vesting that could complicate immediate changes.

Council members also emphasized the need to coordinate with the Independent Highway District — which owns and maintains many streets in the area — because a multimodal plan change or reclassification of truck routes will require IHD buy‑in. Several councilors urged an amendment or an expedited planning amendment to reflect changing development expectations and preserve the possibility of neighborhood‑oriented frontage before parcels are built out.

Next steps: Staff recommended a holistic amendment to the multimodal transportation plan and follow‑up design work to identify capital improvements and funding. Council asked staff to evaluate near‑term options (striping or path widening) and to identify funding sources that could be used to pilot less‑intrusive changes prior to a full capital project.