Construction is set to begin this fall on a new 127-space parking lot in Historic Old Town Roseville, part of a $3.9 million project designed to ease a long-standing parking crunch in the district and improve pedestrian access to nearby shops and restaurants.
According to the City of Roseville CA, the project includes a pedestrian connection between Lincoln Street and the new lot, giving visitors more direct access to nearby businesses. The city says the improvement will be funded entirely through Roseville's local Strategic Improvement Fund, meaning no General Fund resources are being tapped to cover the cost, per the City of Roseville.
The 1.64-acre parcel that will host the new lot sits between the existing 400-block Lincoln Street parking lot and the Union Pacific Railroad yard. The city purchased the land from Union Pacific Railroad in January 2025 for $800,000, according to reporting from ABC10.
A Long Road From Leased Lot to Permanent Fix
The push for a city-owned lot traces back to a lease arrangement that fell apart. Starting in 2010, Roseville leased private property at 400 Lincoln Street to provide roughly 150 free public parking spaces, but the property owner eventually terminated that lease, forcing the city to look for a permanent, municipally owned alternative, the city notes on its site addressing frequently asked questions about the project.
The need for more parking isn't new. A 2017 city analysis found a peak-hour parking shortfall of 90 to 160 spaces in Historic Old Town, establishing the data behind the push for additional public parking, the same ABC10 report notes. Business owners in the district have pointed to that shortage during busy evening and weekend hours.
EV Chargers, ADA Spaces and a New Walkway
Beyond the added stalls, the project plans call for 12 electric vehicle charging spaces and five ADA-accessible parking spaces, according to Roseville Today. Site plans also call for extending the Roundhouse Row alleyway to create a direct pedestrian link between Lincoln Street and the new lot, along with new site lighting and landscaping, the city's public works project page states.
Construction is scheduled to run from this fall through spring 2027, with regular work hours set for Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., per the city's public works department. Minor traffic and alley closures may occur during that window as crews complete the work.
Part of a Much Bigger Downtown Vision
The new lot is a small but concrete step toward a much larger blueprint. Adopted in 2009, the Roseville Downtown Specific Plan envisions 3.2 million square feet of new commercial space and 1,020 residential units across 176 acres and 11 districts, with an environmental study determining that full buildout will eventually require 571 additional parking spaces, the city says.
That buildout remains in its early stages. As of this month, only 236 residential units — about 20% of what's planned — and 90,000 square feet of commercial space, roughly 2.8% of the plan's total, have actually been constructed, according to the city. On-site developer parking has covered residential demand so far, but commercial growth is expected to add pressure over time.
Engineers built some flexibility into the new lot's design in case that pressure materializes sooner than expected. ABC10 reports that preliminary engineering reviews found the parcel could structurally support a future three-story parking garage holding 476 spaces, an expansion estimated to cost $20.8 million if future demand eventually warrants it. For now, though, the surface lot is the plan, with the goal of getting cars off the street and shoppers back into Old Town storefronts by spring 2027.
