Council green-lights DART-funded first project to improve North 5th connectivity to downtown

Staff asked the council for consensus to submit a Year 1 DART general mobility project that would improve pedestrian connectivity on North 4th26ndash;6th around the newly acquired art incubator and nearby businesses. The proposed scope includes sidewalk infill, intersection crosswalk enhancements (stamped/stained concrete treatments), lighting upgrades and ADA ramp replacements to improve safety and wayfinding between the incubator and downtown.

Assistant city managers said the proposed submission would use roughly $1.35M of the approximately $2.1M Year 1 DART allocation, with remaining funds banked for future projects such as surface parking to support Granville/hotel redevelopment or other downtown parking improvements. Councilmembers supported submitting project #1 and asked staff to return with design details and engineering-level estimates before construction.