Frequently Asked Questions

The transition from diagonal to parallel parking will take effect from Battery Street to South Union Street during Phase 1. Phase 1 work will include full reconstruction of Main Street between Pine Street and South Winooski Avenue – shifting curblines, subsurface utilities, signals, new sidewalks and off-street bicycle facilities, and streetscape elements. This will likely be one year of underground utility work followed by streetscape elements and beautification (the latter beginning in 2025). Even though curb lines will not be shifted west of Pine Street or east of South Winooski Avenue during Phase I, the transition from diagonal to parallel parking will still take effect in those areas during Phase I to make room for on-street bicycle lanes in order to maintain connectivity per City Council input. Should priorities change as construction evolves, these plans are still able to shift.

Phase 2 will include full reconstruction work between Battery Street and Pine Street, and between South Winooski Avenue and South Union Street. This will be consistent with Phase I work.

The ravine sewer work is anticipated to last 6-7 months – likely through June 2024. The contractor will start water and sewer line work along the entire Main Street corridor as early as April 2024 and will work to complete all underground pipe work through Summer 2025.

 The intention of installing dedicated bike lanes is to create a connected bicycle network. In addition, catch basin locations are dictated by curb placement; phasing the work in pieces would introduce drainage and constructability challenges during the interim phases of the work.

( Some businesses are concerned about extended disruption on Main Street beyond Phase I. )

Phase I started in January 2024 and is expected to continue through August 2026.  For Phase 2, we need to pursue federal funding, and do not currently have a set timeline. There is a possibility Phase 2 would start soon after Phase 1 is completed, if we find funding quickly. We anticipate a 2-year timeline for Phase 2 work. Federal funding will also allow the City to add the lower section of Main Street onto the project – between Battery Street and College Street – since we aren’t bound to Downtown TIF money. We recognize that construction beyond the 3 years projected for Phase I is not ideal for businesses, and we will consider impacts to businesses as the timing of Phase 2 is determined.

 A majority of work for Phase 1 is in the most complicated section of the downtown, in addition to the Ravine Sewer, which is a major component of the Phase I work. The Contractor has reduced the schedule by about 6 months with the reduction in scope.

The project team anticipates 4-8 week closures per block. Intersections could be closed up to a maximum of 12 weeks, however, this is the worst-case scenario and not anticipated to be a regular occurrence.

There could be some periods where work will be occurring on three blocks simultaneously, while other times work is limited to one block at a time. The contractor will provide detailed schedules in advance of each phase of the work that will require review and approval by the City. 

The contractor is continuing work through Winter 2023-2024 and anticipating to work Winter 2024-2025 to complete subsurface and utility work. Where work has been completed during the winter, the contractor is required to clean up areas and restore surfaces by adding temporary pavement or other measures as needed. Winter work hours are 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. During the Winter 2025-2026 season, there will be a sizeable gap in construction as the remaining work will include operations that cannot be carried out in cold weather (concrete, asphalt, plantings). In advance of the winter shutdown, construction will likely stop before Thanksgiving but could extend further into the winter, weather permitting. A majority of parking would also be restored during a shutdown. 

Water shutoff coordination is a contract requirement. The contractor will set up temporary water to limit closures.  Disruptions to water service will be limited to connecting to temporary water service and reconnecting to new service. By contrast, the contractor is required to provide a minimum of two weeks’ notice to impacted businesses of anticipated timing disruptions, and is required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice of exact timing.  The City and Contractor will coordinate with impacted businesses in advance to understand the preferable/non-preferable times to complete this work. There may be an opportunity to complete this work overnight to limit major disruptions to businesses.

In general, the contractor will be limited to daytime and evening work hours on the weekdays. Special permissions are required to work overnight. Overnight work is challenging for residences due to noise impacts as well as utility coordination. Work hours in the winter are generally 7:00 am – 5:00 pm. Work hours in the summer are 7:00 am – 9:00 pm. We have all City and State holidays listed as days the contractor cannot work in the contract. In addition, the City has restricted work during special events such as the April 2024 Solar Eclipse, July 3rd, Vermont City Marathon, Juneteenth, college move-in days, Jazz Festival, and Festival of Fools. If there are other important dates such as business anniversaries or large events, businesses are encouraged to reach out to the project’s Public Engagement Coordinator, Natalie Boyle, at [email protected].

During active construction of the ravine sewer through that lot, there will be little to no public parking available in this lot. We will be prioritizing relocating displaced Fire Department Staff and then permit holders to an alternative parking location.

The Downtown Parking Garage already offers two hours of free parking. The City worked with Courthouse Plaza to subsidize public parking in their lot (a total of 83 spaces) to offer parking at City rates ($1.50/hour) via a multi-year agreement.

The contractor may implement detours on College Street and Maple Street depending on the phase of work and where people are traveling from. The Contractor will be required to submit a detour and signage plan which the City will need to review and approve, ensuring that detour signage is clear and can be easily navigated.  Detour routes will be shared through project-specific outreach. 

Yes. The contract requires that the Contractor maintain access to businesses at all times. Access must comply with ADA standards. If the contractor needs to excavate sections of sidewalk in front of businesses they will be required to construct temporary ramps or “bridges” to maintain access to that business, unless agreed upon otherwise with the business owner. In addition, the City applied for a grant from the State for funds to go towards advertising and improving business visibility during construction.

The City is working on getting clear and concise project updates available to the general public. In addition to regular emailed construction updates, the City provides parking updates, traffic control updates, detour maps, and other useful project information through the project website, social media platforms, and Front Porch Forum. The City can also provide postcards and QR codes to be posted at registers in stores upon request. Through Facebook and Instagram, the City can tag businesses that will be impacted so that they can re-share the information on their platforms. It is important to share a positive message surrounding the project and its ultimate construction goals.

Explore our Business Resources for promoting your business and keeping customers up to date.