Olivet road commissioner Karl Weaver said construction on Main Street in downtown Olivet remains on schedule despite a few days of heavy rain.
“We’re still on a 60-day schedule,” Weaver said. “We’re up to Washington Street with storm sewer and will start putting in water mains on Thursday. Things are going to really start progressing now that a lot of the dirty work is out of the way.”
Progress will be a welcome sign for downtown business owners who have been hit hard by the construction. Sandi Eishen, owner of This & That Treasures and Collectibles said her business is still pretty slow after three weeks of construction.
“At least I’m not closing my doors yet,” Eishen said. “People are starting to get out and about, but there are some people who are not even interested in coming downtown and dealing with the construction.”
Weaver said several families have come downtown to see the heavy machinery in action. People have taken advantage of the access road created along the north side of Main Street. Weaver said the access road has worked well so far. The city put in a 10 mph sign on the access road to curb some people who had been driving too fast behind the businesses. Other than that, Weaver said he’s pleased with how the road has worked.
Businesses affected by the construction include: The Double Nickel, City on the Hill Church, Eaton County Humane Society, Coachlight Inn, This & That, Willow Tree Bakery, King Insurance Agency, Oak Chest, Sherwood Forest Campground, Tim’s Pizza, Independent Bank, Mary’s Hair Care, US Post Office, Oaklawn Medical, Main Street Stylers, Olivet Hardware, Vanator’s CPA, Charlotte Insurance, Oak City Associates, Eaton Federal Savings Bank and Olivet City Hall.
The City of Olivet was one of 14 municipalities to receive Downtown Infrastructure Grant (DIG) funding from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Strategic Fund. The city received a $658,000 grant to embark upon a streetscape project spanning the entire downtown district of Main Street.
The City will provide $171,090 in matching funds for the project, in addition to a $25,000 donation from Olivet College. The total project cost will be approximately $854,090.
The downtown infrastructure project includes replacing a 90-year-old water main, replacing storm drains and storm sewers, installation of new LED lighting throughout the downtown as well as decorative sidewalk and new curb and gutter.
