Third Street Improvement

Third Street is the spine of McMinnville’s beloved downtown - we pride ourselves on saying that it is the outdoor living room where our community can gather. Taking care of our treasured street is a priority.

The City has completed Phase D 30% Design and Engineering.

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE PLANNED FOR THIRD STREET?

Starting June 27 thru September 2025, community members and visitors can "experience" the proposed Third Street Improvements between the Evans and Ford blocks in real life on the street and in a virtual reality panorama. The virtual link is below and QR codes are available on street signage. The design responds to the community's expressed desire for flexibility and accessibility. On the street, you will see tape outlining the new curbless design. Stencils will mark specific aspects of the project like the sidewalk area, tree wells, and planters. With clearly delineated sidewalks, parking areas, and travel lanes, the new Third Street will function as a conventional street, and when needed, a community space for events and activities.

Check out this immersive panorama.

You can use the link on your desktop, tablet, or smart phone.
Click on the left corner menu to see the existing street, then the design concept, and two different ways to configure the street - for a parklet or a festival.
In the gray box, you can click on the numbers to see different view points of the existing street, design concept, parklet concept, and festival concept.

In August 2023, the City launched the next phase in a nine-linear block Third Street Improvement Project.

Third Street expresses the cultural richness of the city and the surrounding region forging an identity all its own, both quirky and classic. Featuring historic architectural gems, curated art and furnishings, and adaptive infrastructure, Third Street is both timeless and responsive to future innovation. It maintains a diverse, thriving, and independent business community. Local ownership and a commitment to authenticity ensure an interesting and rewarding experience unique to McMinnville.

The City identified the need for a Third Street Improvement (TSI) Project as early as 2000. Over the past 20 years, the City has worked on the necessary planning, community discussion and design for the project, as well as putting in place an urban renewal district to help fund the project. The City has completed PHASE D, the fourth phase of TSI project.

PHASE D

The Third Street Improvement Project PHASE D focused on the nine linear blocks from NE Adams St. to NE Johnson St. and will be addressing the deteriorated downtown infrastructure that has led to accessibility and safety issues. The scope of this phase of the project was to develop construction documents to 30%, which will help the City access potential State and Federal funding. During this phase, there was a business resiliency toolkit developed to help downtown businesses prepare for and navigate the construction phase.

The City of McMinnville awarded the PHASE D contract to BKF Engineers and launched the project with an internal kickoff meeting on August 18, 2023. It was completed in June 2025. This project was funded by City of McMinnville American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and McMinnville Urban Renewal funds.