Downtown Belleville wraps up streetscape project

Downtown Belleville had a lot to be grateful for this past Thanksgiving -- it wrapped up its streetscape project earlier this month.

The city celebrated with a procession and games in mid-November, says Carol Thompson, administrative coordinator of Belleville's Downtown Development Authority. "It's beautiful. People really like the improvements on the streetscape."

The city received $458,314 in federal Transportation Enhancement funds for part of the $5.8 million plan, which included a complete revamping of the streets, including below the surface. Sewer and water lines were replaced first, and then the above-ground infrastructure was redone in the area from South Street from Huron River Drive to the railroad tracks and the Fourth Street Square, and Main Street from the bridge to Huron River Drive. The road had deteriorated quite badly, Thompson says.

Above-ground improvements include bigger sidewalks with decorative brick pavers, benches, trash cans, bike racks, and new landscaping, including trees to replace those lost to the Emerald Ash Borer. This was the first improvement to the downtown streetscape since the early 1990s.

Next up for Belleville is decorating the new streetscape for the holidays and recruiting some new businesses for the downtown area, Thompson says. Features such as wayfinding signs and a new gateway sign are also coming.

"It was a tough, big project but we all pulled together," she says. "It's great to be on the other side of it."

Source: Carol Thompson, administrative coordinator for the Belleville Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke

Downtown Belleville wraps up streetscape project

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