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Downtown streetscape work moves forward; council hears traffic-signal and pedestrian safety concerns
Summary
City staff reported progress on TAP-funded downtown streetscape and utilities work, with most paving expected by June 26; council members and a resident raised concerns about an inoperative signal at Main and Market and cut vehicle-detection loops, which staff said should be fixed in 4–6 weeks.
City staff updated the council on Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) streetscape and utilities work downtown and answered questions about design choices and traffic safety.
Roger (public works/project staff) said irrigation and planter backfilling are nearly complete, landscaping and trench-drain work will begin soon, electrical work is expected to finish within days, and most paving for Market Street is scheduled to be completed by June 26. He said the Main Street sewer lateral and business hook-ups are taking longer and could add roughly six weeks before Main Street paving is finished separately.
On accessibility and design, Roger said the project team (engineer firms referenced) altered sidewalk profiles and added landings and steps to meet federal ADA requirements while keeping accessible sidewalk routes. He described traffic-calming measures — narrowed lanes, pedestrian islands and speed tables — intended to slow trucks and improve pedestrian safety.
Resident Jerry Ellenberg told council the vehicle-detection loops for the signal at Main and Market were cut and the intersection’s detector-based signal was not operational, creating a danger for people crossing between Market and Memorial; Ellenberg asked whether the signal could be activated sooner. Roger replied staff expects reinstallation and reactivation within about four to six weeks.
Why it matters: The streetscape aims to make downtown more pedestrian friendly and to re-route heavy trucks, but local residents and councilors flagged short-term pedestrian-signal outages and construction impacts that staff must address as work continues.
Next steps: Staff will proceed with landscaping, trench work, and paving on the timetable presented and will monitor and restore signal detection at Main and Market as soon as feasible.
