(6/27) The Main Street square revitalization project began official construction a year ago, and what was slated for a spring completion and unveiling date has now been pushed back until the fall of this year. Delays to the completion of the project are mainly due to weather and the need to find a new company to complete some of the work, i.e. the installation of the new traffic signal.

This Main Street Revitalization project, in its entirety, included an upgrade to the existing sidewalks and crosswalks, the reconstruction of parking on the square, the reconstruction of sidewalk ramps which will now be ADA compliant, a reconstruction of the curbs, gutters and the traffic signal, resurfacing the intersection, landscaping and street tree replacement. The completed project will offer connectivity of sidewalks from the east point of Silo Hills Road to the west point of the town with ADA compliant sidewalks.

The project is close to being complete with just a few more items to finish up. Per the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the contractor for the project, so far, the sidewalk is complete, the brickwork is all but finished, the curb and gutter installation on MD 140 is complete, with the exception of landscaping items, and the clock was re-installed. Within the next few months there are several projects to finish up. Landscaping, including the planting of new trees, will be complete by the end of June, the commemorative stamped imprint where the town square fountain was many years ago will be complete by July 9, and the new traffic signal will undergo construction towards the end of August.

Mayor Don Briggs noted that the ribbon cutting will be held sometime in September, pending the absolute completion of the project, availability of guests and coordination with Mount St. Mary’s in regards to the clock. "I am excited about wrapping this up. Thank you to everyone for your patience with regard to the inconvenience. Almost within a year (though it feels like longer), we are all most there!" stated Mayor Briggs.

So far the town has received a mixture of positive comments as well as concerns with the work already completed. Residents were overwhelmingly pleased once the clock made its way back to the square. The majority of residents are satisfied with the work done on the sidewalks, but during the May town meeting, some members of the pubic pointed out some concerns with the changes. One business owner noted that there are many obstacles that pedestrians still have to maneuver around when using the sidewalk, which is something that has been going on for months, making it difficult for elderly or handicapped residents to get around. It was suggested that ADA accessible curb cuts and modifications be considered.

In response, Mayor Briggs and town staff brought these concerns to the attention of SHA and the contractor, who are currently in the process of making a "punch list" of items that need to be finalized, including the sidewalk surface unevenness. Mayor Briggs ensures residents that "safety was paramount in the design of the State square-sidewalk project. Handicapped accessibility was enhanced even to the degree where slopes played an even larger part of design. Working with this, and preserving it as a key architectural element, respectful of today needs was done by the state engineers."