Downtown Woodland drivers may soon have less road space. The city is considering changes to Main Street between Walnut and West streets to add bike lanes and improve areas for pedestrians. The idea comes after a recent study and new grant funding to help pay for design work and public input. The City Council is expected to discuss the proposal this week, as reported by CivicClerk.
Council to review a consultant contract
The City Council is scheduled to consider a consultant agreement on Tuesday in City Council Chambers at 300 First Street, and the city's agenda portal lists a Main Street item on the docket. The meeting and packet links for the session are posted on CivicClerk. If the contract is approved, staff say it would fund preliminary design work and public outreach that will later feed into environmental review and future grant applications.
What the feasibility study recommended
An April 2024 feasibility study prepared for the city concluded that a three-lane "road diet" on Main Street could function, shifting the corridor to one eastbound lane, one westbound lane and a center two-way left-turn lane. That configuration would open up space along the curb for on-street bike lanes and possibly parking. Staff summaries of the report note that the two-way left-turn lane would stay in place at Walnut, where there are more driveways and turning movements to juggle, according to the city.
Funding and next steps
Staff say the proposed contract would generate the outreach materials and preliminary design needed to chase additional grants, complete environmental clearance and eventually prepare final construction plans. After the initial round of outreach, staff expect to return to the council to lock in a preferred design concept. The work falls under the broader Main Street Reinvestment effort, which the city lists as an ongoing downtown planning program on its development projects page. Background on the Main Street program and staff contacts are posted by the City of Woodland.
Who would pay for it
Local coverage links the effort to regional grant funding and notes that the city is tapping a Sacramento Area Council of Governments award to cover the feasibility and preliminary design phase. The same reporting says the initial consultant contract under consideration would not exceed $332,000 and points to grant allocations intended to cover corridor planning, outreach, environmental clearance and early design work. The Daily Democrat has the detailed funding breakdown.
Why this matters now
More than 20 years ago, Woodland took its downtown core from four lanes to two in a bid to slow traffic, widen sidewalks and add street trees. That earlier overhaul also brought intersection bulb-outs and more curbside parking. The current study is billed as a follow-up chapter in the same downtown reinvestment story, with the city trying to walk the line between keeping vehicles moving and making Main Street feel safer for people on foot, on bikes and using mobility devices.
How to follow the meeting
The Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the City Council Chambers at 300 First Street. The full agenda packet, including the Main Street item, is available through CivicClerk, where residents can review the staff report, proposed contract and related materials before the discussion.
