$11.8M Grant Approved For Healdsburg Avenue Improvement Project

HEALDSBURG, CA — The Metropolitan Transportation Commission last week approved an $11.8 million grant award to the City of Healdsburg to support the construction of a multi-modal redesign of the City’s main thoroughfare, the city announced in a news release.

The grant-funded project includes the construction of protected bike lanes and pedestrian improvements to transform Healdsburg Avenue from Powell Avenue to the Parkland Farms subdivision, with additional improvements adding bike lanes connecting to the northern city limits.

The Active Transportation Program — or ATP — Grant is an extremely competitive award process, and cities like Healdsburg often have a difficult time competing with larger cities for these funds.

"This award is the result of many years of hard work and strategizing by the City team, and advocating by our City Council, and is quite a successful achievement," said Larry Zimmer, director of Public Works. "This truly will be a transformative project for the City."

The scope of this project was developed after a detailed community engagement process, including many public workshops, with additional workshops and outreach conducted specifically for the City’s Spanish-speaking community, city officials said.

Based on community feedback, the project will reduce the through lanes on Healdsburg Avenue from five lanes to three. The additional space will allow for protected bike lanes with a landscaped buffer to protect and shade the 10-foot-wide bike lanes and sidewalks. The extra-wide bike lanes will also allow for vehicle use in the event of an emergency requiring large-scale evacuation.

The grant award is scheduled to receive formal approval from the California Transportation Commission on March 15.

It is anticipated that underground utility replacements will take place in 2025, with surface improvements beginning in 2026. The anticipated project completion date will be in 2028.

The City is currently in the process of selecting a consultant to finalize the designs. Additional opportunities for public engagement and input will be available throughout the project development process, city officials said.

More information is on the city's website.