Let’s face it: The Blithedale Project, a complete makeover of one of Mill Valley’s two main arterials, is necessary work. But it’s also already been a long slog, and our merchants, restaurants, galleries and nonprofit organizations in the downtown area are still feeling the adverse impact.
We are grateful to city officials for agreeing to do everything possible to avoid construction impacts on the business community in the fourth quarter of 2023, and to avoid all but emergency work during the Thanksgiving and Holiday weeks. The city's assurance of relief for Q4 is welcome news.
We’re also grateful for the City’s stated strategies to address the impacts of major construction planned for downtown throughout the summer construction, including:
That project had a dedicated person whose role was to engage with the affected businesses: informing them about upcoming impacts; limitations on access to storefronts; and suggested messages to customers.
Businesses: If you have creative ideas to add to the list above, reach out to us and share here!
We are grateful to city officials for agreeing to do everything possible to avoid construction impacts on the business community in the fourth quarter of 2023, and to avoid all but emergency work during the Thanksgiving and Holiday weeks. The city's assurance of relief for Q4 is welcome news.
We’re also grateful for the City’s stated strategies to address the impacts of major construction planned for downtown throughout the summer construction, including:
- Waiving downtown parking meter fees & modifying time limits to help better manage parking.
- Deploying additional signs to inform how to access places during a particular week.
- Opening “Employee Only” parking spots at City Hall to the public.
- Requiring City Hall employees to park outside of the immediate downtown area.
- Limiting contractors to no more than 20 “No Parking” spots within the construction limits.
- Designating construction staging areas away from downtown.
- Reclassifying some downtown “Employee Only” parking to be available for public parking.
- Daily cleaning and sweeping of the project sites.
- Having representatives from the Police and Fire Departments review traffic control plans, construction schedules and attend weekly construction meetings.
- Providing the community and Council with regular project construction progress updates.
- Providing business owners with Construction Tool Kit for Businesses.
That project had a dedicated person whose role was to engage with the affected businesses: informing them about upcoming impacts; limitations on access to storefronts; and suggested messages to customers.
Businesses: If you have creative ideas to add to the list above, reach out to us and share here!