Burlington city officials on Friday celebrated the opening of Main Street after a yearslong construction process that disrupted downtown traffic and business. The revamped stretch features a protected bike lane, wider sidewalks, outdoor seating and public works of art.
Following a countdown and a drumroll from Burlington’s Sambatucada percussion band, city officials kicked off a two-day block party that includes music, meals and pop-ups from local businesses.
“This is a community project, and I’m so glad when people come out to see their community, their Burlington, do something epic and get it to the finish line,” Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said.
Chapin Spencer, Burlington’s public works director, said he’s proud of the work, which, in addition to renovating the city thoroughfare, put in new water mains and sewage pipes. The project carried a $36 million price tag, which Spencer said was financed primarily through a tax-increment financing bond. That meant the city was able to avoid raising taxes on residents to get the work done.
The Main Street project was not without its challenges. Construction crews faced delays and had to spend a full year rerouting the 160-year-old ravine sewer buried 30 feet beneath the surface. And the work was particularly disruptive to local businesses, who said the road and sidewalk closures were driving customers away from the area and threatening their businesses.
Some told Seven Days last year that they had seen their revenues dip by 20 to 50 percent. Allan and Travis Walker-Hodkin, brothers and owners of Café HOT, were especially vocal about the negative impact of the construction. The restaurant shuttered in May, though the brothers clarified it was family — not the construction — that prompted them to leave Burlington for New York City. Main Street mainstays such as the Gryphon restaurant and Nectar’s music venue also closed while the construction was ongoing.
Spencer said he was grateful to the businesses who communicated their issues with the city and remained on Main Street despite the challenges.
“I want to offer a huge thank you, a truly huge thank you, to the residents, to the businesses, to the property owners, the commuters, to the visitors who’ve shown remarkable patience and resilience throughout this construction,” Spencer said.
While foot and vehicle traffic is flowing normally on Main Street again, there are still a few finishing touches that need to be addressed. Spencer told Seven Days that workers will have to make a few minimally invasive tweaks on the new lightposts due to a manufacturing defect. Additionally, a section of sidewalk near the intersection of Main and Church streets is still closed for paving.