CITY OF SHASTA LAKE, California — The City of Shasta Lake Chamber of Commerce held a public meeting where citizens received information and answers to their questions about the ongoing Shasta Dam Boulevard improvement project.
The groundbreaking for the $36.5 million project, which is funded by state grants, took place in January.
The major project consists of three components: The first is the Cascade Village Affordable Housing Project, which will cost $36.5 million and will include 49 affordable housing units with commercial space on the ground floor.
The second part includes mandatory road improvements as part of the Shasta Dam Boulevard Complete Streets Project, which will cost $3.3 million.
Also planned is the Commercial Center Safe Routes to School Project, which will create the new Wonderland Boulevard for safer pedestrian and bicycle routes to the Grand Oaks school area and will cost $4.7 million to fund.
The citizens present had questions about parking and the possible increase in traffic in the neighborhood.
“I was curious where the parking would be for all those apartments and businesses down there?” asked Shasta Lake resident Bert Mackerel.
Peter Bird, senior planner for the City of Shasta Lake, responded that they had exceeded state requirements regarding the number of parking spaces needed for the project.
One of these areas designated for parking is across the street at Shasta Head Start. In addition, many more areas are planned on both sides of the street, and street parking is also planned along Shasta Dam Boulevard.
“Can we turn around with all these medians or do we have to drive down the entire boulevard to get back? They want us to slow down on the boulevard, but I don’t think we should add any extra traffic to the neighborhoods, any neighborhood, any street,” said Alicia Pizano, owner of Pizza Factory.
Project manager Will Bond said they will look into potential traffic issues and see what they can do about them as the project continues to plan.
Construction on the Affordable Housing Project began in January and this portion of the three-part project is expected to be completed by fall 2025.
Construction on the Complete Streets and Commercial Center Safe Routes to School project is scheduled to begin in summer 2025 and is expected to be completed by 2026.