More people than Carnation has were interested in last week’s initial presentation of ideas for renovating the city’s main street, Tolt Avenue.

“I created a Facebook event, and 2,100 people said they were interested,” said Carnation City Clerk Mary Madole. “That’s more people than our entire population.”

Carnation’s council chambers were nearly standing room only when the open house began, in what designer Mark Cole, of design firm Otak called a great response.

“It’s Main Street,” he said. “They’re excited about doing something!”

Cole and his team presented sample design elements being considered for the phased redevelopment of Tolt Avenue, called the city’s Tolt Corridor Action Plan. In this first phase, the Commercial Business District, or CBD, between Commercial and Entwistle would be the first to benefit from elements such as widened sidewalks, buried utility lines, benches and bike racks, new lighting, signs and a proposed pedestrian plaza or “festival street” on Bird Avenue.

Among the comments shared with Cole’s team that night were suggestions for expanding the CBD to Rutherford on the North and Eugene on the south. Cole said the team would compile all the feedback received and use it to begin refining the design. More public meetings are planned along the way, too.

The project is estimated to cost $4.6 million. Designs are scheduled to be complete next year, giving the city time to apply and arrange for outside funding sources. Construction could start in 2017, Cole said. “That’s a target.”

A resident jots down some notes on the comment card.