Downtown Main Street in West Bend will open 10 days ahead of schedule on Oct. 13

Cathy Kozlowicz, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
Downtown Main Street in West Bend is to reopen Oct. 3. The street has been closed to traffic since April due to a $4.6 million construction project that included installing additional parking, new lighting, a new sound system and the replacement of fire hydrants.
Downtown Main Street in West Bend is to reopen Oct. 3. The street has been closed to traffic since April due to a $4.6 million construction project that included installing additional parking, new lighting, a new sound system and the replacement of fire hydrants.

Downtown Main Street in West Bend will reopen 10 days ahead of schedule, according to city officials.

Mayor Joel Ongert announced that Main Street is set to reopen at 3 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 13. The reopening will begin with a ribbon cutting and ceremony, he announced on his Facebook page.

It will be held on Main Street in front of The Bend Theater, 125 N. Main St.

Ongert, Mitchell Leisses of Kunkel Engineering and Todd Dorner of Dorner Construction will speak at the ceremony, according to a news release from the city. After the ribbon cutting, a procession of police, public works and fire department vehicles will ride along Main Street.

Downtown shops and eateries will be open to celebrate the street's reopening.

This major construction project began in downtown West Bend in April, closing Main Street to traffic from Walnut Street to Highway 33. Businesses, however, have remained open, with customers able to access the shops and restaurants via side streets and sidewalks.

What other reopening celebration activities are planned?

The Jimmy's, a Madison-based blues group is slated to give a free concert at The Bend Theater at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 13.Downtown West Bend Association is planning a "Back on Main" event on Friday, Nov. 3, and Saturday, Nov. 4. Boutiques and businesses will host open houses. There will be entertainment from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 3 and 2 to 8 p.m. Nov. 4 at Old Settlers Park, 120 N. Main St.

What are some of the downtown Main Street improvements?

The $4.6 million Main Street construction project included adding parking for businesses, improved lighting, a new sound system, the replacement of fire hydrants, replacement and adjustment of streetlights, new curb and gutter and replacement of all ADA ramps and crosswalks.

How was this major construction project funded?

West Bend City Administrator Jay Shambeau said $1.7 million of the project will be paid for out of TID funds and the rest will come from regular city funding. He said the city did not receive a grant for the project.

Where can I get more information on the project?

For more information on the Main Street construction project, visit www.ci.west-bend.wi.us.

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Main Street in downtown West Bend will open Oct. 13 at 3 p.m.