Public feedback for lower Park Ave. requested amidst past response over bike lane, street parking

A map of Park Ave. Image: Park City Photo:

PARK CITY, Utah — Following the Park Avenue Redesign Pilot Program implemented in spring 2021, the city is moving on to its next phase of improvements and is looking for public feedback.

Park City will be upgrading utilities on Park Ave. from Empire Ave. to Heber Ave. in 2024, which will require reconstruction of the road. During this next phase of outreach, the city is specifically seeking feedback from those who frequent this stretch of road in order to implement a long-term solution.

Past lower Park Ave. improvements included the addition of a bike lane from the intersection of Park Ave. and Deer Valley Drive to the Main Street area, as well as road re-striping. These projects were completed in May 2021.

“After a community outreach effort in the fall of 2020, Park City implemented the first phase of its Park Avenue Improvements project to include bike lanes on lower Park Avenue,” stated a news update from Park City. “The improvements were implemented in the spring of 2021, and now that a year has passed, the city would like to touch base with the community once again to determine what’s working and what’s not along this important corridor.”

The design for the next phase of Park Ave. improvements will be created this winter. To provide feedback, residents can take the survey here.

According to an Aug. 2020 survey entitled “Help Park City Redesign Park Avenue,” out of 191 respondents a majority selected dedicated bike lanes as their first priority for street improvements, followed by on-street parking and slower speed limits.

However, one street improvement priority may have come at the expense of another. The creation of a dedicated bike lane on Park Ave. has reduced the number of on-street parking spots on Park Ave. between 9th Street and Deer Valley Drive from 193 to 91. Several residents expressed dissatisfaction with the new bike lane the pilot program’s public feedback forum.

“This whole program is an enormous waste of tax payer dollars, puts a hazardous environment on Park Ave for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, creates massive confusion and eliminates more than HALF of parking on Park Ave (ironic) according to your own figures.” Collin Daybell commented. “Makes no sense at all especially when there is already a bike path about 100 ft away in the park that runs the whole length up to Main St. This pilot program needs to be shut down.”

The re-striped road does not include a center line, which according to the plan, was meant to allow flexibility for motorists to safely shift within roadway to pass cyclists. However, some residents have expressed concern that the lack of a center line poses a safety issue for both drivers and cyclists on the roadway.

“I love the bike lane but drivers are very confused without a center lane and are all over the road including into the bike lane. Please consider adding a broken yellow the line to separate cars going opposing directions.” Barbara E. commented.