Roadway reconstruction Downtown Waterville underway

WATERVILLE, Maine (WABI) - Roadway reconstruction is underway in Downtown Waterville.

The city of Waterville is being revitalized and part of the process is happening on Main Street. It’s being converted from a one-way road to two ways so traffic can go either direction.

“You’re going to see wider sidewalks, greater streetscapes, new trees, new benches, new plantings,” said Brian Clark, Colby College vice president of planning.

Construction on the road may have started a few weeks ago but the planning phase began in 2015 in partnership with the City of Waterville, business leaders in the community and Colby College.

“The work that has been underway since that time has been formed that comes out of that one project looks at having more people living downtown and working downtown. How do you leverage great assets like the arts in Waterville?” said Clark.

Colby College is also going through major construction like the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts and infrastructure improvements on Mayflower Hill Drive. Clark says this is building a structure for economical growth and long-term success.

“What that means is that it is not just for the Colby community but it represents major investments in Maine,” said Clark.

Investments such as more office spaces and retail shops. Clark says these upgrades and improvements have been needed for quite some time but he is glad it’s happening now.

“We’re seeing for the $85 million of projects that Colby is leading more than $200 million of total investment and about a five-block area. That’s a tremendous amount of commitment and investment coming into the city of Waterville,” said Clark.

The reconstruction of Main Street will be complete the end of the year. Clark says he looks to the future for more investments.

“Looking forward, I see the possibility of the martins complex and the Lock Wood Mills complex being renovated as affordable housing, something that is desperately needed in the city of Waterville,” said Clark.

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