Additional parking, improved lighting and sidewalk coming to this downtown Merced street

A section of N Street in downtown Merced will see multiple improvements after the Merced City Council approved a construction bid for the project on April 19, according to a City of Merced news release.

The N Street Improvement project will add diagonal parking, ADA accessible ramps, new sidewalks, streetlights, trees, curbs, gutter and alley approaches along N Street from West 16th to West 18th streets.

A portion of alley behind the Merced Civic Center between West Main and and West 18th streets will also see improvements as part of the project, according to the city.

“As commercial projects are being completed in Downtown Merced, we need to make sure that there is adequate parking for customers and visitors,” said Merced Mayor Matt Serratto in the release.

“The city will continue to make improvements to enhance the downtown experience. Lighting, sidewalks, and accessibility are all part of the experience.”

According to Merced City Manager Stephanie Dietz, the project will increase street parking.

“By reconfiguring the parking spaces along N Street between W. 16th Street to W. 18th Street from parallel to diagonal, parking will increase by 15 spaces,” Dietz said in the news release. “This is a very cost-effective way of increasing on-street parking without paying the high cost for a new parking garage.”

Merced District 3 City Councilmember Bertha Perez said the project blends improvements with new uses downtown.

“The N Street Improvement Project is a perfect example of blending improvements with new uses in Downtown Merced like the Tioga Apartments,” Perez said in the release. “The N Street project also shows the benefit of public private partnerships.”

Funding for the $1.09 million project has come from multiple sources which include Measure V, Merced County’s 30-year .5 cent transportation sales tax passed by voters in 2016, Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program funds approved by the California Transportation Commission as well as Sewer Enterprise Funds.

Taylor Backhoe Service contractors are scheduled to start the project on May 24, which aims to increase parking and lighting as well as improving lighting for pedestrians and area residents. Palm trees and the grass median long N Street will remain in place and the targeted time of completion for the project is 60 days, the city said.

Northbound and southbound N Street traffic between West 16th Street and West 18th Street will be diverted to alternate routes, while West Main Street and N Street will remain open to through traffic.

According to the city, the contractor is expected to allow for access to business fronts along N Street, but access may be blocked during the forming and pouring of new sidewalk and gutter.