Streetscape draws to a close

Phase II of the Downtown Streetscape project is starting to wind down, following bouts with weather and a large storm sewer that slowed down progress.
Doug Sprouls, the head of Sprouls Construction, said electricians with the project were finishing up their work this week, installing the heads on the city's newly-painted light poles and preparing the traffic signals to open Broadway back up.
"As far as everything being active, supposedly we'll be in pretty good shape by the end of the week," Sprouls said. "I think the project is going pretty well, especially once we got back in some pretty decent weather."
The electronic portion marks the last major part of Phase II of the project, which spans Broadway from Eighth Street to 11th Street. Sprouls said touch-up work remained, along with cleaning and anchoring the benches and trash receptacles to the ground.
"We have to go through and make sure that everything is resolved," Sprouls said. "We aren't anticipating any problems there."
John Van Gorden, interim city manager, said the overall project had gone well.
"Sprouls has done an excellent job in terms of working with downtown merchants," Van Gorden said. "We were fortunate to be able to get the weather to help get the work done."
After the Streetscape project is completed, the city will proceed with paving the street from Eighth to 11th Street, and Van Gorden said the city had started advertising for bids for the project. Once everything was completed, he said it should help to give downtown a much-needed leg up.
"That's what we want — the present merchants to do better," Van Gorden said. "Hopefully we can make it more attractive so that we can attract some new merchants as well. We want to help them and this should make it a cleaner, and just better, atmosphere.”
Sprouls said his business, which is based in Lamar, Mo., would continue to work with the city on future projects.
"I just hope that there's another progressive year so that we can work more here," Sprouls said. "I've enjoyed working with the city of Pittsburg."