Repaved South Main Street Expected to Open This Week

Concertgoers for Friday's kickoff should have an easier time navigating downtown streets.

Road crews spent Tuesday paving South Main Street between Ann Arbor Trail and Wing Street and between Penniman Avenue and East Church Street.

"Last week, they milled (the streets), and their plan was to pave (Tuesday and Wednesday)," said Tony Bruscato, director of operations for the city's Downtown Development Authority.

He said the sunny forecast created an opportunity to do all the paving in one day. This is important, he said, "because rain in the forecast (for Wednesday) could delay (the workers) from getting it done if they wanted another day or two, and because we have a deadline of Friday for our concert in the park."

The city also has a Memorial Day parade planned for Monday.

"Instead of playing chess with Mother Nature, (the workers) decided to use the window they had."

Bruscato said the project, which began the first week of April, is a much-needed "refreshing." He said the last such update was in 1995.

Friday's Music in the Air concert helped the city set a target for the project's completion, Bruscato said. 

"(The project was) always with the thought Main Street and Pennimal would open in time (for the concerts)," he said. "It's obviously a major intersection, and we're going to have thousands of people in town."

As the construction wraps up, the city urges pedestrians and drivers to be mindful of hazards posed by the construction. 

An email issued by the city Tuesday warned pedestrians that the new asphalt will be extremely hot and could take several hours before becoming safe for walkers. The email also noted additional heavy truck traffic and construction equipment throughout the downtown area.