MANSFIELD — The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board on Thursday afternoon unanimously endorsed spending $50,000 to help with the two-way conversion of Diamond Street through the city.
The plan was unveiled to Mansfield City Council on Jan. 21 and was the subject of a public meeting on Feb. 11. It would make Diamond Street two-way from First Street on the south to Main Street on the north.
City engineer Bob Bianchi told the advisory board some “great input” was received during the public hearing, which he is working to incorporate into the conversion plan.
Diamond Street two-way conversion
The $360,000 conversion proposal is another part of the Mansfield Rising downtown reinvestment plan, which suggested the city adopt and implement a complete streets policy in the downtown area.
It would be similar to Mulberry Street, one-way southbound for many years, which was was converted to two-way traffic in August 2019.
No general fund money would be spent on the conversion, Mayor Tim Theaker has said.
Instead, he said, funds for the project would come from four sources — the permissive sales tax, the street fund, road resurfacing fund and the Downtown Improvement Fund, which began when City Council approved a $5 increase in motor vehicle registration fees in May of 2018.
The increased registration fees generate about $200,000, which must be earmarked for downtown improvements.
City council will consider the Downtown Improvement Advisory Board recommendation to release the $50,000.
Bianchi told advisory board members that legislation for the conversion will likely be presented to council on March 3 and that a vote on the proposal may come on April 21.
