Two-way targeted visitors helps revitalize downtown Augusta

It was a basic change from one way to a two way street in downtown Augusta that set off a wave of new strategies. It all started on H2o Road in 2019, primary to other redevelopment endeavours in the place.

New renovations has revitalized downtown Augusta

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Aside from the significant two-way traffic lane swap, the metropolis also included handicap obtainable crosswalks and a complete reconstruction of Professional Street, like vibrant staircases that help inhabitants to get to downtown easier.

Augusta’s director of growth expert services Matt Nazar states the alterations are working as hoped.

“Heading from one particular-way to two-way will not seem that significant a offer but every person who we have talked to has stated that it feels appreciably different in the downtown, that it won’t sense like a area that you go via anymore, it feels like a area that you are going to and want to prevent and be,” Nazar explained.

Nazar provides the revitalized downtown Augusta feels a large amount additional like an genuine “downtown” and hopes the good changes can preserve bringing new tiny businesses, new people, and new visitors to the location.

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“We’ve experienced a true revitalization likely on with respect to residences in higher tales of the properties and in dining places and other organizations in the Drinking water Road stage,” Nazar stated. 

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The Maine Affiliation of Planner’s Jim Fisher states the downtown Augusta redevelopment strategy was not long ago named “Project of the Calendar year” by the association.

“Augusta is the condition capitol and it has a stunning riverside downtown which necessary this kind of renovation to make it stand out in the condition,” Fisher claims.

Fisher hopes it serves as a design for other communities.

“What we will need to do is rethink who our target marketplaces are, what types of businesses or products and services will thrive in people locations, and then we require to style the community infrastructure…to make that transpire!” Fisher explained.

Augusta’s downtown grew to become a whole new community. “Featuring that sort of seriously enjoyable, one of a kind downtown expertise is some thing a whole lot of Mainers definitely want,” Fisher reported. 

Nazar reported, “We have residences down there that failed to exist right before, and individuals appear to be to really get pleasure from residing down there, and we’ve got some exceptionally vibrant excellent enterprises.”

Nazar and other town officials hope when additional folks are snug heading out,  downtown Augusta will keep on the identical growth in the spot to preserve escalating for quite a few a long time to arrive.