Advertisement
  • National News
  • State News
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Content
  • Subscribe
Subscribe For $2.50/month
Print Editions
Salem Times Register
  • News Categories
    • Local Stories
    • School
    • Church
    • Sports
    • State News
    • National News
    • Courthouse
      • Deeds
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Legals
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Southern Baptist
  • eEdition
  • Classifieds
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Login
  • faq
No Result
View All Result
Salem Times Register
No Result
View All Result
Salem Times Register
No Result
View All Result

Downtown construction on Main Street expected to be finished by April

Mountain Media by Mountain Media
January 9, 2021
in Local Stories
0
0
SHARES
25
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The previous phase of construction on College Avenue cost approximately $1,400,000 and was a Revenue Sharing Program Project

Shawn Nowlin
shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org

Every time that Salem native Jaime Smith has walked down Main Street over the last several weeks, the same thought has always crossed her mind, “I wonder when all of this construction will be done?”

According to Department of Community Development City Planner Benjamin Tripp, construction began last September and will conclude this spring, weather dependent.

In addition to the brick sidewalks, new historic light poles, landscaping and overhead festival lighting, the city will also be adding left turn lanes at the intersections downtown to help with the flow of traffic.

“Most of the funding for the renovation project was awarded several years ago.  The phase currently under construction cost approximately $900,000 and is a mix of Transportation Alternatives and Community Development Block Grant funding.  The previous phase on College Avenue cost approximately $1,400,000 and was a Revenue Sharing Program Project,” said Tripp.

He added, “The section of streetscape between Thompson Memorial Drive and Market Street was awarded $3,629,869 in Smartscale funding, which has no local share.  Two additional phases are funded through VDOT’s Revenue Sharing Program having been awarded around a million dollars each as well.  The phase currently under construction also directly supports roughly 15 construction jobs.”

The definitive center of the city’s small business scene, Salem’s Main Street contains more than a dozen businesses ranging from craft stores to restaurants and is considered the heart of the community.

“It carries our identity, the story of who we are. The streetscape project is about taking control of that story. Salem is an old and historic place, and it deserves a downtown that is worthy of our place in the region,” Tripp said. “These streetscape improvements will help make Downtown Salem a more desirable business location, more of a regional destination and ensure that it has a bright future.”

The Streetscape project is made up of several phases, and construction will continue over several years before the project is officially complete. “The plan also reorganizes the on-street parking in a more efficient manner, allowing us to add the bump-outs for restaurants without losing parking, and in most cases adding to the number of public parking spaces,” Tripp said.

The upgrades being made downtown is expected to benefit Salem residents for years to come. Smith, like many others, is relieved that an end date is finally in sight. “I can’t wait until everything is done. My family and I will definitively be spending more time in the downtown area,” she said.

More information can be found at salemva.gov.

Sign up to our newsletter

Enter your email address to receive weekly emails.

You will receive a confirmation email for your subscription. Please check your inbox and spam folder to complete the confirmation process.
Some fields are missing or incorrect!
Lists
Previous Post

Virginia hands-free law now in full effect

Next Post

“You’re the Coach”

Next Post
“You’re the Coach”

“You’re the Coach”

  • National News
  • State News
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Content
  • Subscribe
Questions? Call us at 304-647-5724

  • Login
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.
body::-webkit-scrollbar { width: 7px; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-track { border-radius: 10px; background: #f0f0f0; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { border-radius: 50px; background: #dfdbdb }
No Result
View All Result
  • News Categories
    • Local Stories
    • School
    • Church
    • Sports
    • State News
    • National News
    • Courthouse
      • Deeds
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Legals
  • Spiritual
    • Parabola
    • Transcendental Meditation
    • The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
    • Southern Baptist
  • eEdition
  • Classifieds
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Login
  • faq