Following a workshop discussion on Monday, May 5th, the Grand Junction City Council voted to end the 4th and 5th Street pilot program and return the corridor to its prior configuration at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 7th. The decision came after months of mounting concern from downtown business owners, customers, and community members who have been navigating a convergence of challenges impacting Grand Junction’s city center.
In advance of this workshop, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce undertook a months-long effort to gather input directly from those most affected. Between September 2024 and February 2025, the Chamber conducted two targeted surveys. The Business Pulse Survey was distributed directly to over 250 businesses located within the downtown corridor, with nearly 70 of those providing responses. A second QR code was shared with those same businesses to distribute to their customers and clients, generating 769 responses to the Consumer Pulse Survey. (Read the full survey summary here)
Importantly, these surveys were never intended to evaluate a single initiative in isolation. Rather, they were designed to look at the broader picture—how a series of overlapping changes, from shifting traffic flows and extended parking enforcement to the location of the Resource Center and increased safety concerns, were collectively affecting downtown’s vibrancy. Respondents were given the opportunity to reflect on the good, the bad, and everything in between. The goal was to understand—not to indict, but to inform.
What the surveys revealed is that confidence—both consumer and business—is slipping.
Consumers reported clear signs of disengagement. Over 71 percent indicated they are visiting downtown less often due to recent changes. More than 81 percent said those changes have made them less likely to visit at all, and 85 percent stated that their overall experience has worsened. Three out of four respondents now feel downtown is less safe and accessible for pedestrians. Most concerning of all, only 12.8 percent of consumers said they are very likely to recommend downtown to others, while over 61 percent are unlikely or very unlikely to do so. Parking, too, remains a key pain point: nearly 70 percent of respondents were dissatisfied, and 44.8 percent reported being “very dissatisfied.”
Business owners echoed those concerns. More than half rated their current business health at a three or below on a five-point scale. Many reported a sharp decline in customer traffic and visibility. They cited reduced access, confusing street layouts, and ongoing public safety issues as key contributors. Parking availability for both employees and customers was consistently described as “difficult.” The majority pointed to improved access and more intuitive parking as top priorities.
To be clear, no one is suggesting that the 4th and 5th Street pilot project alone caused these challenges. Downtown is facing multiple external pressures: the continued disruption from CDOT’s I-70B project, the impact of the Resource Center, and broader economic shifts including inflation and workforce strain. These are factors no single agency can control.
But that’s precisely why local decisions must be evaluated with great care. When national and regional headwinds are already blowing, we must be cautious not to layer on unintended burdens that accelerate decline. As Council Member Van Dyke put it during a recent city council meeting, “When we extend time periods, when we push out pilot projects, it is not us that pays the costs, it is our downtown businesses that are suffering. We have to be extremely cognizant of that… It is our responsibility to watch out for those businesses on Main Street.” Mayor Pro Tem Laurel Cole added, “I feel like us putting more barriers in the way of local businesses is not the best option forward.”
Their words reflect a reality that many downtown stakeholders have been expressing—and now, through these surveys, more clearly than ever. We are approaching a breaking point. Confidence is fragile. Foot traffic is slowing. And without meaningful reflection and response, we may risk pushing beyond a threshold that is difficult to recover from.
Downtown Grand Junction is more than a place—it’s a reflection of who we are. A healthy downtown draws visitors, supports jobs, fosters entrepreneurship, and strengthens the community’s identity. That vitality isn’t guaranteed. It must be protected. The Chamber conducted these surveys not to assign blame, but to give voice to those who work, invest, and shop downtown every day. Their feedback is now available to guide our decisions going forward.
There is still time to ensure our downtown remains a place where businesses thrive and our community gathers. But doing so will require a shared commitment to listening, learning, and acting with the full weight of the facts in mind. The Chamber remains ready to support that process—and to continue amplifying the voices of those who make downtown Grand Junction what it is.