A two-mile portion of Broadway between Third and 29th streets are set for transformative improvements in the coming months to calm traffic, enhance safety and make the street more inviting for travel on foot, bicycle and transit.
The Broadway Complete Streets project will reduce vehicle traffic lanes from two lanes in each direction lane to one, with a dedicated center two-way left turn lane to improve property access and turning safety.
Buffered bicycle lanes, refuge islands, and multi-modal improvements are planned throughout the corridor. Seven new pedestrian crossings with flashing lights will also be added.
“Our whole goal is to change Broadway from being a commuter corridor to being an entertainment-friendly corridor that serves bicycle, pedestrian, and transit users as well as automobiles,” said Philip Vulliet, project manager and senior engineer with the Department of Public Works.
The construction contract was approved by City Council on July 25 and awarded to George Reed, Inc. A groundbreaking is planned for later this month and work will begin in weeks following.
The $21 million project will be delivered in two phases. The first phase from Third to 19th streets and 21st to 24th Street from X Street to the SR-99 ramp. This work is estimated to cost $15.7 million (including environmental clearance, design and construction).
It is funded through Active Transportation Program grants, SACOG Community Design and Regional Transformative programs, Community Development Block Grants, Measure A funds, and Major Street Construction funds.
The next phase will complete the 19th to 21st and 24th to 29th street segments. The City has secured additional federal grant funding through SACOG to construct this phase after the initial phase is complete.
The project website will be updated frequently throughout construction. Those interested in receiving updates can sign-up for emails here.
For questions during construction, community members can call the project hotline at 279-236-3799 or email broadwaycompletestreet@gmail.com
In other areas of the city, staff are continuing work on the Central City Mobility project to expand the protected bikeway network on the Grid.
These improvements will be connected to the Broadway improvements at Fifth, 10th, 19th and 21st streets, creating an extensive connected bikeway network in the downtown grid.