Merced leaders endorse plan to reverse Main Street traffic downtown. Here’s why
.JPG "West Main Street in downtown Merced, Calif., on Thursday, May 7, 2020.")
Main Street in downtown Merced is slated to take a turn — in the opposite direction.
The Merced City Council on Monday voted unanimously to approve a plan to reverse the current one-way traffic flow on Main Street. City leaders say the plan will make the heart of Merced better for businesses, vehicles and pedestrians.
The Council’s vote allowed the city to move into the project’s design phase. Work isn’t expected to kick off until the beginning of next year, City Engineer Michael Beltran told the Sun-Star. That means traffic won’t alter course until next year, giving Merced drivers time to learn about the planned change.
Main Street was converted from a two-way to one-way traffic flow during a pilot program that kicked off last May. Parallel parking was also swapped for diagonal parking.
Proponents of the trial run, including Merced Mayor Matt Serratto, said they hoped it would improve parking, landscaping and outdoor seating while creating a slower-paced downtown.
The modifications to a main downtown thoroughfare elicited some criticism, especially in the beginning, city officials said. As the pilot program approaches its year mark, though, the overall community response has been predominantly positive, according to the city.
“It took some getting used to, it really did,” Beltran said Monday of the pilot program. “(But) I’d definitely say, for the most part, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Changes in traffic flow, parking planned for downtown Merced
With the one-way pilot program becoming a permanent change, however, Main Street traffic will switch from traveling in an east-bound to a west-bound direction from Martin Luther King Jr. Way to O Street.
City staff said reversing the one-way flow west makes the most sense for the configuration of downtown businesses and theater marquees.
“From an engineering standpoint, we can make it safe either way,” Beltran said in response to City Council members who expressed concern about swapping the traffic flow.
Staff also said traffic signs will be posted to ensure the proper direction is clear, in addition to other public notices intended to limit drivers’ surprise at the switch in traffic direction.
The downtown project will also transition Canal Street between W. 18th Street to W. Main Street to a one-way traffic flow and add diagonal parking.
Main Street from O Street to R Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way to G Street will follow a two-way traffic flow, but will be reduced from four lanes to two and gain diagonal parking.
At least 96 new parking spots will be created, according to city staff. Additional traffic light modifications will be necessary, too.
The plan’s estimated cost is $1 million, according to city staff. The City Council previously set aside nearly $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars for downtown public space and street improvements.
Merced City Council, residents support Main Street plan
City leaders and community members each appeared largely supportive of the plan Monday.
Several City Council members noted that many Merced residents drive larger vehicles and directed staff to ensure the added number of parking spaces doesn’t come at the cost of shrinking their size.
Resident Lisa Kayser-Grant addressed the City Council to advocate that the downtown project keep cyclists in mind, too. She said that some of the changes have made downtown worse for cyclists and pedestrians by taking away bike parking and increasing the risk of being backed into.
Kayser-Grant asked the City Council to help mitigate those impacts by increasing bike parking and considering a no-idling ordinance. Before casting their votes, the City Council directed staff to make the downtown plan as bike-friendly as possible.
“The goal, in my mind anyway, is to be comfortable, pedestrian-friendly and (have) decent sized parking spaces,” Councilmember Kevin Blake said. “I do like the updates and the changes. I think it’s a good thing.”
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
