MANSFIELD — There are few things civil engineers like more than a good checklist to manage complex projects.
City engineer Bob Bianchi still has a few boxes to mark off before the 18-month, $20.3 million Main Street Improvement Project is complete.
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 previously 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 at the end of the project.
Bianchi said Thursday the work will be done on time.
“The contractor has all the materials it needs and it has the sub-contractors lined up to complete the work,” he said.
Bianchi said work continues in the plazas downtown and also at the intersection of First and Main streets. Benches, trees and other items will be installed around the plazas.
“That’s been ongoing over the past few weeks and will continue through the end of the project,” he said.
Arches at the north and south ends of the project will be installed in late September along with additional sandstone and electrical work.
A halo light, similar to one installed along Main between Third and Fourth streets, will be installed, a project that will likely close the road through Central Park for a day.
Repaving of the entire project area will begin during the first or second week of October, according to the engineer, who said plywood would be laid down to protect bricks that have been installed as part of the effort.
Once paving is complete, the corridor will be restriped and a decision will be finalized as to when the street will be converted to two-way traffic.
(Below are recent photos of work being done on the Main Street Corridor Improvement Project. The images are courtesy of Braxton Daniels/Studio 45.)
Jennifer Kime, president and CEO of Downtown Mansfield Inc., thanked businesses, residents and visitors for their patience during the project, which included replacing century-old water and sewer lines along the entire corridor.
“We would like to thank you all for your patience, flexibility, and continued support throughout this process,” Kime said.
“We truly appreciate your understanding and willingness to work with us as we bring everything together as we continue this project and approach the finish line. We’re so excited to see the final result and can’t wait for the work when it is all done,” Kime said.
Over the past two weeks, workers poured the concrete base for a new brick paver area on Park Avenue, began installing stone steps near the fountain and started forming a circular concrete planter.
Crews also continued concrete and sidewalk work along Park Avenue, Main Street, First Street and Diamond Street. Additional accomplishments included paving near First Street, grading for new curbs, and ongoing electrical wiring.
Park Avenue and southbound Main Street have reopened to traffic, though intermittent temporary closures will occur as construction progresses.
Over the next two weeks, crews will begin installing stone veneer in the plazas and continue work on plaza walls and the fountain.
Upcoming tasks also include road work near First Street and Newlon Place, drainage improvements near Walnut Street, signage placement and traffic signal and camera installations.
