Brighton streetscape project completed in three phases, emphasizes accessibility and merchant collaboration

Brighton officials and local merchants described the downtown Main Street streetscape project as a multi‑phase effort begun in February 2018 that replaced a century‑old water main, added accessibility features and landscaping, and sought to slow traffic and increase pedestrian activity.

Staff member Speaker 1 said the project began in February 2018 after the city identified a “hundred year old water main that needed to be replaced,” and that tearing up the street at that time made it sensible to bundle other improvements rather than do the work twice. Speaker 1 added, “I'm very, very proud of what we were able to accomplish and have heard nothing but positive feedback on our downtown today.”

Accessibility and mobility were central goals. Planner Speaker 2 said, “Accessibility was really an important part of the streetscape improvements. Mobility, the idea of being able to walk to downtown, walk around downtown was important.” Design elements described in the meeting included natural stone benches, native plants and landscaping inspired by local natural features. Speaker 2 also described a road diet that reclaimed excess pavement and added space to sidewalks.

Merchants and consultants were involved in design decisions. One speaker identified meetings with Giffels Webster and the city as a starting point for coordinating phases and merchant input. Merchants met monthly during construction, and the project was developed in three phases to keep Main Street operating while work proceeded.

The city used ongoing communication to keep the public and merchants informed. A staff speaker described a cellphone app, MyBrighton, created to send push notifications and weekly updates listing work completed and anticipated tasks. That speaker said the city published weekly updates to ensure the community could still visit downtown businesses during construction.

Merchants also ran coordinated marketing and events timed around project milestones. The meeting transcript recounts a campaign called Believe in Bridal, inspired by a 1927 newspaper advertisement, and three celebratory events after each project phase: a street warming after phase one, a hunter’s moon party after phase two, and a holiday glow after final completion. One merchant described the campaign as “a really fun campaign to work on.”

Speakers described observable changes after completion. A merchant or resident identified as Speaker 5 said, “There's a lot more people walking around. In my 13 years, I've never seen as much just general strolling or foot traffic.” Another speaker who identified themselves as a person with a disability said the transformation made downtown “an accessible space for everyone.”

Speakers linked the project to the community’s experience during COVID‑19. One staff speaker said the pandemic and a yearlong closure of Main Street “paved the way for more than just beautiful and functional infrastructure,” adding that a less tangible result was “the greater reward of continued collaboration that has been forged through shared perseverance.”

No formal votes, ordinances or funding amounts were specified in the transcript excerpts provided. The discussion reported design choices, outreach strategies, merchant coordination and the sequence of events used to keep Main Street open during construction.

Looking ahead, speakers said the collaboration between the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the city council, merchants and the public will continue to shape downtown activity and promotion, though the transcript provided no specific next actions or budget items.