After much discussion, rising costs, and a new project starting point, the Making Over Main Street project is officially underway with traffic barriers and detour signage in place on one block of Main Street East and side streets.
See related: Downtown businesses to remain open during reconstruction project
According to the City of North Bay, the block of Main Street East from Sherbrooke Street to Wyld Street is closed to vehicular traffic for up to three months. Short detours are in place. Pedestrian access to businesses remains open.
This first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in early November and also includes the block of Main East bounded by Wyld and Ferguson. The project is set to resume in April 2024 and is tentatively scheduled for completion later that fall. Each block is expected to take up to three months to complete. Only once a block has been fully reconstructed will the contractor proceed to the next block.
In late April, the City of North Bay adjusted the starting location of the project following the feedback of the membership of downtown businesses and with the cooperation of the contractor. This change will have no impact on the project cost or completion date.
See also: Switcheroo for Main Street project
The $8.85-million Making Over Main Street project involves the reconstruction of Main Street between Sherbrooke and Cassells, as well as a section of Ferguson Street between Main and Oak. It is the first major renovation of its Main Street in nearly 40 years. New above-ground infrastructure will be installed, including road base, curb and gutter, concrete crosswalks, exposed aggregate accent sidewalk, concrete sidewalk, traffic control system, streetlight upgrades, festoon lighting, asphalt paving and other ancillary works.
To learn more about the Making Over Main Street project, including background and frequently asked questions and answers, please click here.
