News

Work in Progress: Pleasant Street Revitalization Nears Final Phase

By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT-Major construction for the Rethink Pleasant Street project in Claremont is slated to be complete in early-to-mid July.

The $4.5 million project, presented to the city in 2019, sought to not only update crumbling infrastructure, but to also revitalize the historic downtown area.

The design, created by engineers from McFarland Johnson, seeks to expand the sidewalk widths, creating a single lane of southbound traffic on Pleasant Street. Glidden Street has also become a one way with a traffic light on Broad Street. This will give businesses on the street ample space for outdoor seating, as well as a series of public benches, new street lights, and public art on the streets. The goal is to create a more inviting, sociable downtown area and ultimately provide more foot traffic for the businesses of Pleasant Street.

“I think it’s a great idea. Other towns like Concord have already done this and they’ve had great success with it. I haven’t been affected by the construction too much because my business is appointment only but it’s going to be a really great thing for everyone on the street,” said Wolf & Bee owner Jason Hurley.

B.U.R Construction, out of Newport, began construction on the Pleasant Street Project in July 2021. The project originally had a start date for May, but due to supply line issues, construction had to be put off.

A pivotal aspect of the Rethink Pleasant Street Project has been the necessity of replacing the sewer and water lines that run beneath the street. Before other facets of the project could begin, infrastructure had to be laid first and supply issues caused B.U.R to have to order materials for the water completion in March and receive them in October. B.U.R was able to find ways to adjust their schedule to keep on track as best as possible. According to the construction company, this year has gone like clockwork.

“The city is set on doing it with the least amount of impact. It’s a tricky line to walk because it takes longer working around businesses. It can create a lot of different issues, but the designers and the contractors worked well to meld those issues and come up with a plan,” said Tim Saint-Pierre, Co-owner of B.U.R Construction.

While the construction on Pleasant Street is currently in a phase the construction company referred to as “aggressive construction,” they hope to have that wrapped up in roughly three weeks. There will be continued minor construction efforts including painting lines and installations that do not plan to affect foot or vehicle traffic. The city of Claremont has scheduled a block party on July 9th to celebrate the completion of the project and to have the community come together. Each business owner that spoke to the Eagle Times is looking forward to the event.

“Some people have just had trouble getting here with the construction but when it’s finished we think it’s going to be just perfect,” said Errol Letman, owner of The Sunshine Cookshop.

Avatar photo

As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.