diff --git a/lasso/parameters.py b/lasso/parameters.py
index 1cca076..998dbdd 100644
--- a/lasso/parameters.py
+++ b/lasso/parameters.py
@@ -212,6 +212,14 @@ class Parameters:
                     53: 1,
                     60: 1,
                 }
+        downtown_area_type_shape (str): Location of shapefile defining downtown area type.
+            Default:
+            ::
+                r"metcouncil_data/area_type/downtownzones_TAZ.shp"
+        downtown_area_type (int): Area type integer for downtown.
+            Default:
+            ::
+                5
         mrcc_roadway_class_shape (str): Shapefile of MRCC links with a property
             associated with roadway class. Default:
             ::
@@ -470,6 +478,14 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
             60: 1,
         }
 
+        self.downtown_area_type_shape = os.path.join(
+            self.data_file_location,
+            "area_type",
+            "downtownzones_TAZ.shp",
+        )
+
+        self.downtown_area_type = int(5)
+
         self.osm_assgngrp_dict = os.path.join(
             self.data_file_location, "lookups", "osm_highway_asgngrp_crosswalk.csv"
         )
diff --git a/lasso/project.py b/lasso/project.py
index 4b7cee9..98f6c6a 100644
--- a/lasso/project.py
+++ b/lasso/project.py
@@ -537,8 +537,7 @@ def _process_link_additions(
             else:
                 add_col = [
                     c
-                    for c in cube_add_df.columns
-                    if  c not "OPERATION_final"
+                    for c in cube_add_df.columns if c not in ["OPERATION_final"]
                 ]
                 # can leave out "OPERATION_final" from writing out, is there a reason to write it out?
 
diff --git a/lasso/roadway.py b/lasso/roadway.py
index a8c4d10..6aa47ba 100644
--- a/lasso/roadway.py
+++ b/lasso/roadway.py
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ def calculate_area_type(
         area_type_shape_variable=None,
         network_variable="area_type",
         area_type_codes_dict=None,
+        downtown_area_type_shape=None,
+        downtown_area_type=None,
         overwrite=False,
     ):
         """
@@ -327,6 +329,8 @@ def calculate_area_type(
             area_type_shape_variable (str): The variable name of area type in area geodadabase.
             network_variable (str): The variable name of area type in network standard.  Default to "area_type".
             area_type_codes_dict: The dictionary to map input area_type_shape_variable to network_variable
+            downtown_area_type_shape: The file path to the downtown area type boundary.
+            downtown_area_type (int): Integer value of downtown area type
             overwrite (Bool): True if overwriting existing county variable in network.  Default to False.
 
         Returns:
@@ -393,6 +397,29 @@ def calculate_area_type(
             WranglerLogger.error(msg)
             raise ValueError(msg)
 
+        downtown_area_type_shape = (
+            downtown_area_type_shape if downtown_area_type_shape else self.parameters.downtown_area_type_shape
+        )
+
+        if not downtown_area_type_shape:
+            msg = "No downtown area type shape specified"
+            WranglerLogger.error(msg)
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+        if not os.path.exists(downtown_area_type_shape):
+            msg = "File not found for downtown area type shape: {}".format(downtown_area_type_shape)
+            WranglerLogger.error(msg)
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+
+        downtown_area_type = (
+            downtown_area_type
+            if downtown_area_type
+            else self.parameters.downtown_area_type
+        )
+        if not downtown_area_type:
+            msg = "No downtown area type value specified"
+            WranglerLogger.error(msg)
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+
         """
         Start actual process
         """
@@ -403,6 +430,9 @@ def calculate_area_type(
         area_type_gdf = gpd.read_file(area_type_shape)
         area_type_gdf = area_type_gdf.to_crs(epsg=RoadwayNetwork.CRS)
 
+        downtown_gdf = gpd.read_file(downtown_area_type_shape)
+        downtown_gdf = downtown_gdf.to_crs(epsg=RoadwayNetwork.CRS)
+
         joined_gdf = gpd.sjoin(
             centroids_gdf, area_type_gdf, how="left", op="intersects"
         )
@@ -416,6 +446,20 @@ def calculate_area_type(
 
         WranglerLogger.debug("Area Type Codes Used: {}".format(area_type_codes_dict))
 
+        d_joined_gdf = gpd.sjoin(
+            centroids_gdf, downtown_gdf, how="left", op="intersects"
+        )
+
+        d_joined_gdf['downtown_area_type'] = (
+            d_joined_gdf['Id']
+            .fillna(-99)
+            .astype(int)
+        )
+
+        joined_gdf.loc[d_joined_gdf['downtown_area_type'] == 0, area_type_shape_variable] = downtown_area_type
+
+        WranglerLogger.debug("Downtown Area Type used boundary file: {}".format(downtown_area_type_shape))
+
         self.links_df[network_variable] = joined_gdf[area_type_shape_variable]
 
         WranglerLogger.info(