Park City has taken an initial step toward the possibility of work in the Main Street core identified as part of the recent discussions about the future of the shopping, dining and entertainment strip.
City Hall is seeking statements of qualifications from firms to provide civil engineering services related to the feasibility of improvements that would be meant to make the core more pedestrian friendly.
The work outlined in the municipal posting is not among the most ambitious elements of the Main Street Area Plan that has attracted widespread attention, but the potential of City Hall moving forward with any of the concepts in the plan is notable nonetheless. The posting is the first stemming from the possibilities covered in the Main Street Area Plan.
According to the posting, the conceptual design work that is possible includes:
- A so-called curb-less design that would include “connectivity, transitions, and tie-ins between public right-of-way and private property.”
- Unspecified improvements to the pedestrian experience at the Main Street-Heber Avenue intersection.
- Improvements described as “transitions” toward the southern and northern ends of Main Street. The one at the southern end is referred to as a roundabout at the Main Street-Swede Alley intersection.
- A redesign of the street on Swede Alley, with upgrades including additional sidewalks and parking on the street.
The posting says the work outlined in the request for statements of qualifications is needed for the municipal government “to understand all impacts of a Main Street and Swede Alley redesign to create an improved pedestrian experience.”
The deadline for submittals is May 16 with the likelihood of a contract awarded shortly afterward. A draft is due July 15, and meetings and public-information sessions would follow, as would the finalization of the plan.
Some of the potential work would be notable for the Main Street core. The addition of a roundabout, as an example, would be a dramatic alteration in the traffic pattern. A roundabout could make it easier for drivers to move between the southbound and northbound lanes of Main Street compared to the current conditions. That could nudge some traffic to remain on Main Street rather than entering the residential neighborhood south of the commercial district.
Pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Main Street and Heber Avenue would upgrade a key location along the street. The intersection is one of the most popular places for pedestrians to cross Main Street, but it is also a high-traffic area and part of a corridor connecting Swede Alley and Main Street to Park Avenue.
A redesign of the Swede Alley street with sidewalks and other features would be seen as a step toward increasing safety for pedestrians. Swede Alley generally serves as support for Main Street, including the location of large blocs of parking spots, with limited features for pedestrians.
A precise timeline for any work is not clear, but the municipal government would need to craft detailed plans for any of the possibilities noted in the posting. There would also be a public-engagement process that would draw interest from Main Street businesses and people who live close to the street.
The discussions about the Main Street Area Plan arose from a desire to ensure the commercial core remains competitive with outlying shopping districts. The plan covers many of the public spaces on or just off Main Street. The improvements outlined in the plan could attract more people to Main Street through a variety of new offerings, supporters say. In that scenario, spending could also increase, which would provide a boost to the businesses and also lift sales-tax receipts for the municipality.
Concepts presented in recent months have included the development of hotels to increase the number of people visiting Main Street, a town square and transit and parking infrastructure. Income-restricted and workforce housing is imagined and a grocer has been mentioned. A gondola linking the Main Street core to Deer Valley Resort has also been discussed.
Some of the elements of the Main Street Area Plan, particularly hotels, workforce housing and a gondola, would require an extensive approval process before they could proceed. A gondola proposal would go through a detailed review that could include public agencies and the private sector, with the parties also needing to finalize a plan for the funding an aerial transit system that could run into the tens of millions of dollars.
The full Main Street Area Plan has drawn support from businesses hoping for increased sales but worries from others about the impact on the surroundings.