Downtown Carson Street design unveiled

Designs for downtown Carson Street changes to widen sidewalks and move to three vehicle traffic lanes, with one for turning, are set for public review today at Carson City’s Community Center.

The designs also feature bicycle lanes and minimal parallel parking, but with large slots for front pull-in to avoid traffic blockage, and they will be on display in two 90-minute sessions.

The first runs from noon to 1:30 p.m., the second from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sierra Room at the center, which is on the southeast corner of William and Roop streets.

Staff will be on hand to answer questions and take public comments on the plans, which are aimed at enhancing pedestrian and bike usage along Carson Street in the city’s core. The designs are geared to “implement the vision for downtown that was adopted with the City Master Plan in 2006,” according to a news release on today’s sessions. Design work on the downtown corridor will continue next year with work planned for 2016, the release said.

This is part of a group of capital projects that will be financed via bonds backed by the one-eighth of a penny city sales tax increase adopted earlier by the Board of Supervisors. Among the projects are three others spiffing up other business corridors later. They will include East William Street and both north and south Carson Street outside the central core.