Chester Main Street

Chester, California

In 2008, the community of Chester selected CPLA and Pacific Municipal consultants to conduct a public process and prepare a master plan for their main street, Highway 36. The project was prompted by recently publicized Caltrans plans that called for extending four travel-lanes and a center turn-lane directly through Chester's historic 'Old Town'.

The project had several objectives: educate citizens regarding current Caltrans plans; work with existing community groups to assess their needs and options; and, prepare a report defining the community vision of their Main Street. The report documented the community's fear of losing their historic character, the potential impact of faster traffic on their struggling retail environment, and on decreased pedestrian safety. The report provided alternatives to Caltran's plans, focusing of traffic calming, pedestrian connectivity, and aesthetic appeal. Faced with enthusiastic support for the document from the community, Caltrans agreed to significantly modify their long-range plans to align with the community's objectives and values.
A resounding success!