News: Full Article

Public Works - May 21, 2024

Now that major demolition work at 20 Federal Place has finished, construction has resumed on West Commerce Street, between the Phelps Street Gateway and Wick Avenue. Work is progressing on the south side of the street, which had been inaccesible during the building demolition work.

With the exception of the Phelps Street Gateway to Wick Avenue block, all of Commerce Street is open to traffic.

Construction on Commerce Street, between Fifth Avenue and East Federal Street, is part of Phase 2 of the SMART2 project. These blocks have been redesigned to be safer and more accessible for users of multiple modes of transportation, including motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Project design features include the following:

• Road Diet (Fifth Avenue to North Walnut Street), reducing the existing 5 vehicular lanes to 1 in each direction, plus left turn lanes, as needed.
• Sidewalk improvements (Fifth Avenue to North Walnut Street), including landscaped amenity strip separations.
• Safety and aesthetic improvements to crosswalks.
• Addition of limited parallel parking (Fifth Avenue to North Walnut Street - westbound only).
• Energy efficient and aesthetic street lighting.