The second phase of the Main Street improvement project began July 19 and is making some businesses along Main Street difficult to reach.
Sections of road and sidewalks along Main Street are undergoing construction from College Avenue to Alumni Mall.
One of the main goals of the Main Street construction is to improve pedestrian experience, with 115 new trees, 18 trashcans, seven black benches, 116 streetlights and 14 landscape planters.
“It’s going to be a much more pedestrian-friendly environment. There will be wider sidewalks, more benches and more bricks,” town council member John Bush said. “The downtown feel will be extended to Prices Fork Road, which could lead to better shops.”
However, as construction continues, students are expected to encounter the same frustrations that the residents of Blacksburg experience.
“I don’t think it will affect students any more than other residents, although some of the places people go to may be hard to get to. But (the road) won’t be completely shut down,” Bush said.
Cooks Clean Center, which is commonly used by students, may be particularly hard to reach, Bush remarked.
Construction adjacent to The Cellar, as well, has made the restaurant more difficult to access. As a result, the business has been experiencing drops in sales.
“There’s been a drop in profits. We’re probably bringing in half of what we should be,” said Kevin Wong, manager of The Cellar.
While improvements are being made all along the street, according to Wong, none of the improvements will affect The Cellar.
“It’s going to look exactly the same as before in front of our business. There’s absolutely no change, except now there will be room for two tractor trailers to park in front, as opposed to one,” Wong said.
The Cellar is one of many businesses frustrated with the construction.
“I think it’s going to be a detriment. I think that’s the consensus, that it’s going to be a detriment,” Wong said.
Other businesses along Main Street, however, have experienced little troubles. At Hokie House, lunch sales have actually gone up and manager Brian Palmer believes the new improvements will help business.
“The town council told us that since we’re near the end, as long as we get a permit, we can put out a picnic area,” Palmer said.
The estimated date of completion for the Main Street Improvement Project is spring of 2012.
A version of this article appeared in the Jul 29 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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The real question is whether this Main St. improvement project (pedestrian experience ect.) is worth the nearly 2 years of potential lost sales/profits frustration from students and residents due to construction. Opinions as far as I can tell are pretty split. I don't think it's worth it while some think it is.
We will have to wait until Fall of 2012 to see if improved pedestrian access actually helps the businesses boom. I really don't think it'll change nor make up for lost profits (if any occurs). But this project is obviously not for the businesses anyway.
I wasn't even aware until this project started that it was being pushed for. I thought pedestrian access was perfectly fine downtown, now it's not because of the construction. Who pushed for this project?
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laziness issue - not construction!).
Put a giant red banner over your door : "WE ARE OPEN". With a giant
arrow pointing to the parking: "Park Here. It's Easy!"
This isn't as big of a headache as some people are making it out to be. It just isn't.
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Actually, parking for The Cellar has been barely affected...it's still hard to find a parking space behind that building!
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the town is clueless about business. Not only will it be 2 years of lost revenue but delivery trucks will not be able to reach those businesses after the project is completed due to round abouts. How about spending millions on projects for kids or something of value instead of an unneeded sidewalk
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Or how about using that money to reduce traffic, not increase it. If anything just something that makes sense logistically.
Improving the traffic lights is a good start which they plan to do. However how about building an overpass at the intersection of 460 and Southgate dr. to get rid of the light and decrease traffic during football games.
How about putting a middle turn lane on north mains st. to prevent cars stopping in the middle of the st.
There's a million things that this money could be used for instead of wasted just to expand a sidewalk which will do absolutely nothing.
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