MANSFIELD — There is a new glow during the evening along North Main Street.
That’s due to new lighting across the street, including a halo.
The new decorative, circular overhead lighting fixture was recently installed over the Temple Court crosswalk between Fourth and Fifth streets as part of the downtown aesthetic and safety upgrade.
City planners designed the catenary-style overhead string lights to improve visibility after dark while serving as an aesthetic feature for the block.
The improved lighting is part of construction crews making progress on the $20.3 million Main Street Improvement Project as work continues across several blocks of downtown Mansfield, according to Jennifer Kime, CEO of Downtown Mansfield Inc.
The project is a complete upgrade of Main Street from First to Sixth streets and Park Avenue from Main to Diamond streets, designed by K.E. McCartney & Associates of Mansfield with Kokosing Construction as the primary contractor.
Officials have said the work, which began in the spring of 2025, will be complete by the end of October, including a conversion of the street to two-way traffic.
According to a project update released by project officials, work over the past few weeks focused heavily on electrical work, masonry and streetscape preparation throughout the Central Park area and surrounding intersections.
Officials report recent construction updates
During the past few weeks, contractors completed several key infrastructure tasks:
- Electrical Infrastructure: Electrical crews finished wiring the traffic signal at Park Avenue and Main Street, pulled wire and installed conduit along Park Avenue down to Second Street, and set new light poles. Crews also removed the old traffic signal at Sixth and Main streets, while M.P. Dory, a Columbus-based company, installed a pedestrian flasher at the crosswalk near DLX.
- Streetscape and Crosswalks: Decorative paving crews began sanding brick pavers and cobblestones along the Park Avenue crosswalks. Meanwhile, Purdy Construction saw-cut existing pavement to accommodate utility relocations for Ohio Edison.
- Plazas and Demolition: In the north plaza, crews removed and prepped wall forms. To the south, Oakland Irrigation arrived on-site to begin groundwork for the south plaza. Crews also demolished existing sidewalk and regraded subgrade material at Main and Sixth streets.
(Below are recent photos of work being done on the Main Street Improvement Project. The images are courtesy of Braxton Daniels/Studio 45.)
Here is what to expect in the next few weeks
Drivers and pedestrians navigating downtown should expect continued work zones and localized traffic shifts over the next two weeks:
- Park Avenue Intersection: Kokosing and Smith Paving are scheduled to finish work at the Park Avenue intersection, completing both the asphalt pavement and decorative crosswalks.
- Sidewalks and Curbing: Smith Paving will continue concrete pours throughout the project limits, including grading and installing concrete sidewalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps at Sixth and Main streets.
- Brick and Masonry Work: Decorative Paving will proceed with brick installations between Second and Third streets, while stone veneer and capstones are set on structural plaza walls.
- Lighting: Electrical teams will continue removing legacy signal hardware, pulling new wire and placing additional light poles along Park Avenue.
Updated traffic information is available
City officials and project managers continue to urge drivers to use caution when traveling through active work zones.
Residents can sign up for real-time traffic alerts by texting “Mainstreet” to 419-443-6519, or by visiting the official project website at MainStreetMansfield.com. Feedback, questions, or concerns regarding active construction can be submitted online or via text.
