West Main Revitalization Project

Project Overview

West Main Street, a part of State Highway 90, runs approximately 0.5 miles from Townsend Avenue to the Uncompahgre River within the City of Montrose. Although owned and generally maintained by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), this reach of roadway runs through downtown Montrose’s urban core and, as a result, serves as the primary access and frontage for adjacent businesses. West Main also provides a vital vehicular and pedestrian connection between downtown businesses, nearby residential centers/Spring Creek, and the city’s Uncompahgre Riverway Trail and West Main Trailhead.

Over the years, the City of Montrose has implemented various capital projects to improve and streetscape portions of Main Street both east and west of Townsend Avenue. This work has generally extended from Park to Selig Avenues and has included the installation of decorated medians, tree rows, decorative lighting, “bulb-out” curb extensions, and conversion of four-lane roadways to two-lane roadways with diagonal parking (Cascade to Park only). However, Main Street west of Selig Avenue has generally remained in its outdated vehicular-focused configuration over the past several decades. This includes two travel lanes in each direction, shoulders for undefined parallel parking, and narrow, non-ADA-compliant sidewalks and driveways on each side of the roadway.

In its current configuration, West Main Street is an inhospitable area for pedestrians or bicyclists due to narrow/non-compliant sidewalks and is generally incompatible with a Main-Street style business that relies on comfortable access, pedestrian activity, and opportunistic sales. Furthermore, outdated and undersized storm sewer and water infrastructure are in need of replacement and upsizing within the West Main corridor.