Market Plaza in downtown Greenwood is seen from above on May 8.
Provided photo | City of Greenwood
Work is expected to start next week for Greenwood’s planned improvements to Market Plaza.
Construction is expected to begin sometime after Sunday for the project, which includes the full reconstruction of the road from the Pleasant Creek Bridge to Madison Avenue and the addition of sidewalks. The contractor for the project, Dave O’Mara Contractors, placed signs informing drivers of the road’s closure on or after Saturday last week, according to the city of Greenwood.
Market Plaza will be closed at the Pleasant Creek bridge for Phase 1 construction. Detour routes follow Madison Avenue to Main Street to Market Plaza and Lincoln Street, according to plans from the city.
Businesses will remain open during the closure, and access will be maintained, City Engineer Mark St. John previously said.
For the full reconstruction, the old roadway will be completely removed. A new roadway will be constructed with a new storm sewer system, along with a curb and gutter. A new 6-feet wide sidewalk will be constructed, and will be “largely separated” from the roadway by a grass strip. New street lights will also be added to Market Plaza, St. John said.
There is a small section just north of the Pleasant Creek bridge that will pretty much be a complete closure except for maintenance access to the hair salon and barbershop. But this will be built as its own standalone phase, he said.
Adjustments to the placement and number of parking spaces on the south side of the Walker Plaza shopping center are also planned. An exit from Walker Plaza to Market Plaza will be removed as well, plans show.
The project is expected to cost just over $1.5 million. The design and construction inspection was paid for with tax incremental financing, or TIF, funds through the Greenwood Redevelopment Commission. Construction itself is expected to be paid for with federal funds the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act, St. John said.
The contract time for completion of this project is 120 days, or four months, he said.
Updates about the project are planned to be posted on its project page, shorturl.at/glCEZ, and on the city’s traffic and notices page, shorturl.at/atMQ3.
