VANCOUVER, Wash. — A street in the heart of downtown Vancouver is getting set for a big makeover. Ten blocks of Main Street will be transformed, starting next year, to be more user-friendly and inviting for everyone, no matter how they get around.
There's been a lot of talk about redoing the downtown section of Main Street, but not much action until recently. Then the city decided to put most of a $10-million allocation from the federal American Rescue Plan toward a better Main Street.
So now the street is about to get a whole new look, feel and function, according to the city’s transportation manager, Ryan Lopossa, who called it a “complete shift in the paradigm of what we would normally do with a street project.”
The downtown section from 5th Street, 10 blocks up to 15th Street, will be transformed, and Lopossa said he can't wait.
“I love this project. I've been with the city now about 12 years, lived in Vancouver most of my life and you know, Main Street is one that I always wanted to get to,” Lopossa said.
Vancouver city leaders have considered redoing this part of Main Street for about 20 years. Now, current officials have gone forward to support the creation of the Main Street Promise Plan. It is 90% complete, and new animation shows it's about much more than just the street itself.
“It's an area where folks can obviously walk. It's also an area where we'll have furnishings, we'll have opportunities for businesses [to offer] outdoor seating. We’ll have additional places where people can secure their bikes, [where] people can sit. We’ll have art, and we've got art along the corridor, but we want to double and triple the art,” Lopossa said.
Under the surface, there will be new water and sewer lines. At street level, there will be improved intersections, making it safer for pedestrians and drivers. And nose-in parking will be no more, giving way to all parallel parking. Another key feature: no curbs. Like what was done along Esther Street, where Vancouver’s farmers market sets up, it allows for a more open feel and pedestrian-only possibilities for the future. But for the foreseeable future, the design may allow for temporary vehicle closures for community gatherings on Main Street.
"We're setting the stage; there is a desire that this be available for weekend events,” Lopossa said.
Before construction begins on this makeover, the top priority is working with Main Street businesses that will be impacted, and ensuring a workable plan for everyone, even if it takes a little longer to complete.
"We're going to be very deliberate about what the contractor can and can't do, to make sure that we're keeping pedestrians moving, that we're keeping parking available, and that we're essentially keeping those front doors open to those businesses," Lopossa said.
In part, for that reason, it will take longer, Lopossa said, estimating two construction seasons. So the work which should start early next year could wrap up in late 2025. The overall cost of the project is expected to top $20 million.