Thank-You, Rochester: All 5 Lanes of Main Street Now Open
Just in time for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, the Main Street Makeover reaches a milestone.
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Seven months after the first construction barrel was brought into downtown Rochester in April, all five lanes of Main Street opened to traffic late Wednesday — just in time for Thanksgiving.
"Today's a really, really special day because we're getting our five lanes back," said Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino during a short "barrel-moving" ceremony Wednesday afternoon downtown.
City leaders, including Rochester Mayor Stuart Bikson and councilmembers Jeff Cuthbertson, Cathy Daldin, Steve Sage and Kim Russell, gathered at the corner of Fourth and Main streets to remove the last of the barrels from the road. Passersby cheered and waved; Vettraino's own children even had fun kicking the barrels after they were moved onto the sidewalk.
The Main Street Makeover involved the removal and rebuilding of the road from the Paint Creek Bridge north of University Drive to the Clinton River Bridge south of downtown. The project was budgeted at about $5.6 million.
The reopening of Main Street coincides with the 40th Anniversary celebration of Lagniappe on Monday. This event is Rochester’s official kick-off for the seventh annual Big, Bright Light Show.
“The new streetscape is incredible and the light show will provide the perfect backdrop for people to enjoy the downtown experience," said DDA Executive Director Kristi Trevarrow.
For more on the Main Street Makeover, see our special section on Rochester Patch.
Peter Griffin
9:28 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Are they "really" open??? For how long?? Just open so the city/construction firm can "check a box" and say "done on time"...only to be closed again for "repairs". The Livernois bridge was claimed to be open on 11-5, but 2 lanes still remain blocked by barrels as of yesterday. Why? That is not what I consider "complete".
Point of interest -- noticed a severely cracked/smashed curb outside of the Paint Creek Tavern last week, and the construction company still poured concrete for the sidewalks without repairing the curb (6 - 8ft section). They left the smashed curb in place and didn't bother fixing it right the first time. This annoys me because we will have to put up with another closed lane when they do decide to fix it. Come on people -- a job worth doing is worth doing right. Fix it right the first time.
Frank D.
9:40 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
The RH turn lane from Avon to N.Livernois has been blocked at least 6 times since the bridge opening, creating back up past Home Depot..Each time, a few workers were doing something at the N.E corner but that "doing something" never got finished..indeed an example of forward planning and coordination..Try to do that in your private business, guess what..... you get fired !
Tom Carpenter
11:21 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
I agree with P Griffin above......The bridge work still continues and the traffic backups remain on Avon and Livernois....AND the weather last winter and all thru the summer COULD NOT have been better...Should not be any excuses.........
bill dittmer
1:05 pm on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thanks to our city leaders, who bit the bullet along with many of our downtown businesses, our community
and our businesses will be in a much more competitive position for the next decade or two.
Frank D.
6:48 pm on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Ok Bill, nice commercial...keep in mind, that's why these people were elected to do the job.. I mean to do the job RIGHT...
R.Saini
2:21 am on Sunday, November 25, 2012
I agree Frank. That's is why we elect these officials.
RochHillsResident
3:09 pm on Sunday, November 25, 2012
....and now can we PLEASE get the street lights downtown timed so it doesnt take 10 minutes to go 3 blocks. I understand that the Rochester Police dont want you going 45 through downtown so how about time them so if you go 25 you make them...I have seen people go 0 - 45 mph in one block just to MAKE a light.
Judith P
9:20 am on Monday, November 26, 2012
Those who expect perfection in this life invite disappointment and unhappiness. Big jobs always have punch lists, huge jobs even more so. I am celebrating and inviting everyone who works, visits or lives in or around the Rochester area to do the same.
Peter Griffin
11:52 am on Monday, November 26, 2012
I am not asking for perfection -- just asking for a job to be done with quality and on time. I am asking for a job to be labeled "complete" when it is actually 100% complete. I don't want people to claim that the downtown job is complete when there is still work to be done 3 days after the "expected" completion date.
Also, I hope the construction barrells don't come back out later to fix the smashed curb in front of the Paint Creek Tavern that wasn't fixed right the first time
Frank D.
8:18 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
The street-side walk light posts on the EAST side of Main are not up to code.. The electrical outlet plates were missing.. wires exposed.. This is NOT up to code and reaffirms my previous statements.. Job is NOT finished..
Peter Griffin
11:55 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
When will ALL the barrels be removed? As of this morning (11/28) I still saw orange barrels (with white slip covers to hide them?) covering the spots where there are no street lamps...where are the street lamps????? Backordered????? Poor project planning for a project that IS NOT completed on time. Bet those barrels will look really nice during the Christmas Parade. Nice planning.
Peter Griffin
11:56 am on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Is that Rick Moranis from 'Honey, I shrunk the kids' removing the barrel in the video?