Nearly $2 million in improvements are on the way to Bradford’s historic Main Street, the first major renovation project in about 30 years.
At a meeting prior to Bradford City Council, Sara Andrews and Anita Dolan with the Office of Economic and Community Development explained the scope of the city’s downtown historic district streetscape project.
The city has been awarded a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant of $1.75 million for the project, Andrews said.
“This program works a little backwards,” she said, explaining a complete application package must be submitted to the state after the applicant’s first application is approved.
This streetscape project will include work on Veterans Square and Congress Street, and Main Street from Davis to Mechanic streets.
Andrews said the concept plan for the project should be developed by the end of March, “then we’ll start the engineering and design.” Surveying work has begun, but was hampered by the weather.
Expressing excitement about the pending project, Andrews said, “The last project on Main Street was in the 1980s. We’re looking at curbs, sidewalks, traffic lights and poles, signals, street lights, trees, decorative features.”
Mayor Tom Riel inquired about the trees on Main Street, as the Bradford pear trees on Main Street have had issues with blight. Andrews said discussions have touched on alternating species of trees along the street and having fewer trees altogether.
“We also talked about routing some stormwater drainage into the tree pits for watering,” she said. “There’s some good, forward-thinking environmental ideas that we’ll be able to incorporate.”
Riel asked about the lights for the project. Andrews said, “We would prefer to go with what we have on Boylston and Kennedy streets,” describing them as acorn lights. Old photos of Main Street from the 1880s show lights similar to what they are planning, she added.
She described changes coming for the parking meters, too: “We’re going to an automated system, to reduce some of the street clutter.”
Mentioning some of the choices, Andrews said kiosks like those that are used in Pittsburgh are a possibility. That sort of system would allow a maximum of two hours of parking.
“We’ll take a look at it,” she said.
Andrews explained the project will be done in two or three phases.
“We’re looking at monies for the other end of Main Street, from Davis to East Main,” she added.
Dolan addressed council next, giving a brief recap on a RACP grant project for the Bradford YMCA. The project has been approved for $500,000 in funds, she said.
“I think it’s going to be some critical improvements,” Dolan said. Work will include electrical upgrades, a new roof and expanding some heavily used areas.
“We want to have it out for bid by fall,” she said. “They would love to get the roof done by winter.”
