MEDC receives update on downtown streetscape; construction targeted for January

The Montgomery Economic Development Corporation heard an update April 15 from the city engineer on the downtown streetscape design project, which seeks to add decking, lighting and landscaping and could include storm-sewer replacement.

The update matters because downtown property owners and several small businesses will be directly affected by design choices and construction timing. The design team plans to show decking materials and final layouts to affected businesses before construction, and the city is still resolving legal and maintenance responsibilities for shared decks.

Chris, the city engineer, told the board the project team has met with a downtown steakhouse owner who “is still not interested in allowing access,” and the team considered alternate driveway locations before reverting to the current one-way street plan. The design team is preparing material samples and a final decking layout for presentation to west-side businesses that will be “heavily impacted,” Chris said.

The engineer said the consultant team has proposed — and is still detailing — adding storm-sewer replacement to the project. He said the city attorney is working on easement and long-term maintenance language so the city can complete the decking and define later responsibility for upkeep and accessibility.

The project schedule presented calls for finishing design over the summer and early fall, putting the job out to bid, and beginning construction in January to avoid the holiday sales season. The engineer estimated the overall work could take about three to six months to complete, and clarified that that estimate referred to the entire streetscape work rather than continuous road closure.

Chris said he expects to return to the MEDC at a future meeting with a service proposal from the consultant, an updated budget and a milestone schedule, “as long as we have a final answer from the state house, so we have a direction to move forward.”

Board members asked clarifying questions about sign permitting and contractor responsibilities; staff said permitting and certain approvals have been routed through the commissioner’s office and that permitting obligations were in the contractor’s original contract. No formal action or vote was taken on the streetscape item at the meeting.

Next steps: the design team will finalize samples and layouts for business review; the city will continue drafting legal language about easements and maintenance; and the MEDC expects to review an updated budget, consultant service proposal and schedule at a later meeting once state direction and permitting are confirmed.