MANSFIELD — New sidewalks were being poured near Sixth Street. New underground electric lines were being laid between Fourth and Fifth streets. Storm sewer lines were being replaced near Second Street.
That was the scene Tuesday afternoon during a walking tour of Mansfield’s Main Street, from Sixth Street to First Street.
The $19 million Main Street Corridor Improvement Project is headed toward the sixth month of what’s expected to be a 20-month project to completely upgrade the infrastructure and streetscape from First to Sixth streets and Park Avenue from Main to Diamond streets.
At least one lane of Main Street was open through most of the project site, though the block between Fifth and Fourth streets closed Monday and is expected to stay closed for up to 75 days.
The closure is to allow installation of storm sewer lines, streetlight foundations, sidewalks, curbs and a midblock crossing between Fourth and Fifth streets.
“Hopefully, it will be sooner than that,” city engineer Bob Bianchi said. “They are ahead of schedule, but it’s just the beginning. Lots of things can happen.”
He also said the city hopes to have the intersection of Main and Second streets opened by Monday morning.
The work continues in August after a public meeting July 30 during which several businesses expressed concerns about the impact of the project and its road closures on their downtown businesses.
(Below are graphics showing plans for the next 45 days of the Main Street Corridor Improvement Project.)
(Below are photos taken Tuesday afternoon during a walk along Main Street from Sixth Street to First Street. The story continues below the photos.)
The city has also announced parking meters have been removed and on-street parking is now free along Main Street and on some side streets through the end of the project. There are also several free public parking lots downtown.
(Below is a map showing locations for free on-street parking and free public parking lots.)
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