Merced’s Main Street now one-way, more parking, new bike lane. See the changes
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- Merced reopened Main Street with a parade after resurfacing and traffic updates.
- Business owners cited improved parking and slower traffic as key benefits.
- Bike lane addition sparked mixed reactions, but safety concerns decreased overall.
With a parade of classic cars, fire engines, police vehicles and a few bicyclists, Main Street in downtown Merced reopened Monday morning.
The street had been closed beginning in mid-June for resurfacing, addition of a bike lane and parking, and to change the direction of traffic, which now flows one way from Martin Luther King Jr. Way toward O Street.
During the construction, businesses remained open but Oscar Moreno, who owns Hola Cafecito with his wife, said customers had to park farther away and walk to businesses. He said it was good to see more parking added because that was “one of the biggest complaints of our customers”
Eddie Beltran, who owns Joystiq and The Cue Spot Billiards both downtown, said slower cars due to the one-way traffic could help businesses get noticed.
“Before, it was two-way traffic here. It was pretty hectic, pretty dangerous to cross the street, because people thought this was a freeway,” Beltran said. “So I think as long as it’s slowing people down, down Main Street, the drivers are going to be able to see what businesses are out here. If you go by 50 miles an hour, you don’t see anything.”
Lisa Kayser-Grant, who chairs the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, said they had proposed an alternate plan that would have allowed cyclists to travel in both directions on Main Street but said the addition of the bike lane was a positive change.
“I don’t think on a street like this — as I said, it’s slow — I don’t think it’s needed,” said Kayser-Grant. “However, it’s well marked. It’s not as close to the parked cars as some bike lanes.”
Kurt Knapp, a longtime resident, said he hoped the investment in downtown could revive it to its status in the 60s and 70s.
“It’s all about attention to detail, though,” Knapp said. “They thought people would be coming out. There’s garbage right there. There’s a thing of popcorn down there. City of Merced should have somebody here yesterday afternoon come through and picking up all that.”
Council member Mike Harris, who represents the district which includes Main Street, said a portion of Canal Street will continue to be shut down as crews finish work. Also still under construction is Bob Hart Square, expected to reopen in October.
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM.