Snohomish | First Forty Feet

First Street

Snohomish, Washington | 2025-2026

Modernizing First Street and Prioritizing Its Historic Charm

First Street has long been the heart of Snohomish, supporting local businesses, community life, and the historic character that defines downtown. The project builds on that legacy by creating a practical, community-informed vision for a safer, more welcoming, and more resilient main street.

The challenge is to modernize aging infrastructure and improve accessibility, pedestrian safety, circulation, and connections without losing the qualities that make First Street distinctive. The plan must balance the needs of businesses, residents, visitors, drivers, and people walking or biking while preserving historic character and supporting downtown activity during both everyday use and community events.

Historical Context

First Street has served as the commercial and civic heart of Snohomish for more than a century. From the city’s early years, it was lined with storefronts and shaped by the daily movement of workers, merchants, residents, and visitors. Its buildings, fine-grained shopfronts, and relationship to the Snohomish River helped establish the historic downtown character that remains central to the city’s identity today.

Over time, First Street evolved to accommodate automobiles, parking, utilities, and changing patterns of commerce. Many of those improvements are now aging or outdated, placing the street at another turning point: how to renew its infrastructure and meet modern expectations for safety and accessibility while preserving the historic character and community life that have always defined it.

Today

This image shows First Street’s relationship to the Snohomish River, with historic storefronts, diagonal parking, sidewalks, streetlamps, and Kla Ha Ya Park. It highlights the opportunity to improve pedestrian access and river connections while preserving downtown character and business access.

Community Voices

Community feedback emphasized safer walking and biking, improved sidewalks, and convenient access to downtown businesses. Participants consistently described First Street as charming, historic, quaint, vibrant, walkable, and community-oriented, reinforcing the importance of improving safety and accessibility without losing its character.

Who Showed Up?

Most participants were residents, followed by employees, business owners, property owners, and visitors. The results show that community feedback was led by residents while still including perspectives from downtown businesses, workers, and property owners.

The Concept

The concept became a curbless street that allows diagonal parking to function as a flexible public space. During events, parking spaces can be temporarily converted into outdoor seating, dining, vendor areas, or gathering space without the barrier of a raised curb. On regular days, the zone returns to parking, allowing First Street to support both everyday business access and a more active public realm during festivals and community events.