Plans to revitalize a stretch of Main Street east of US 75 to Abrams Road have been ongoing for several months, and on Feb. 18 city staff reported that construction on the project should begin in July.

The ongoing construction of the Public Safety Complex at Main and Greenville Avenue has served as a harbinger for the revitalization project. As fire and police staff move into the new headquarters in July and September, respectively, their former buildings will be demolished, allowing construction on the Main project to begin, Deputy City Manager Don Magner said.

Over the course of 18 months the city will replace pavement and traffic signals, add new sidewalks and benches, plant trees, move utilities underground and add more parking. Perhaps the biggest change will be the realigning of Main and addition of turn lanes to improve the flow of traffic. Magner said.

The look of the urban area will be softened by green spaces at the northwest and northeast corners of Main and Greenville, Assistant City Manager Shanna Sims-Bradish said. The mini-parks will feature shade trees, picnic tables, benches and garbage cans, she said.

The $21 million project should be complete by 2020, Magner said. The availability of empty space for storage of construction equipment along Main means the project should have a minimal impact on nearby home and business owners, he said.