Chestertown master plan prioritizes burying downtown wires and streetscape upgrades

Sunny Hunsinger, executive director of Main Street Chestertown, and Paul Heckles, past president of the organization’s board and chair of the master planning committee, told the Kent County Economic and Tourism Development Commission that the group’s downtown master plan focuses near term on burying overhead utility wires and modernizing streetscapes.

The presentation described the master plan as a community-driven, five‑year guide with more than 40 recommended projects developed in 2024 with consultant support from Design Collective and GMB Engineering. “Main Street Chestertown is one of a thousand, over a thousand Main Street organizations across the country,” Hunsinger said, and the plan provides a portfolio of projects and a strategy to secure funding and guide future decisions.

The presenters said Phase 2 narrows the 40 recommendations into a short list of priorities for 2025–26. Paul Heckles said the commission’s near-term focus should be two linked efforts: wires mitigation and a streetscape program. The wires work is limited, initially, to roughly four blocks around the High Street/Cross Street intersection; Heckles said the study counted about 38 wooden utility poles and 26 cobra‑style light fixtures in that area and that some overhead conductors likely predate current utility ownership.

Heckles and Hunsinger argued the benefits of moving utilities underground include more consistent sidewalk lighting, fewer service interruptions, improved tree canopy management and resilience, and aesthetic improvements that could support tourism and business investment. “When you hang your light 20 or 30 feet up in the air, these trees, when they get fully leafed out, they block the light and you end up with very dark areas on the sidewalk,” Heckles said while explaining public‑safety goals for new fixtures.

Presenters described steps already taken: a December walkaround with Delmarva’s lead engineer, an engineering‑proposal request to GMB to perform Phase 2 engineering work, and plans to convene all utilities (Delmarva, Verizon, Breezeline and two fiber companies) to inventory existing lines and identify which circuits are needed. Hunsinger and Heckles said Delmarva indicated it prefers third‑party engineering for the overall project and that GMB has previous experience coordinating such work with the utility.

Cost estimates for construction were described as preliminary. The presenters said the “first estimate” for implementation ranges from about $5 million to $8 million. Phase 2 engineering work is being supported with ARPA funds, they said, but funding sources for construction have not been secured; potential grant sources mentioned include the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, federal USDA rural programs and federal DOT rural programs.

Commissioners asked about road jurisdiction, timing with respect to repaving, and whether Delmarva or other utilities would require the town to pay for engineering work; presenters said Cross Street is a state road and High Street is under town jurisdiction but that the engineering study will address timing and coordination with resurfacing and state partners. Presenters requested county assistance with grant coordination and letters of support when the funding phase begins.

The presenters said the work is intended to increase downtown pedestrian activity, support new housing and evening economic activity, and enhance safety; they noted the town has not had a major downtown renovation for decades.

If the Phase 2 engineering proceeds, the next steps will include a utility inventory, a prioritized engineering scope and a coordinated outreach to funders; implementation timing and final budget will depend on completed engineering and grant outcomes.