Waynesboro begins Downtown Riverfront improvements

Spring 2016 marks the beginning of some dramatic and exciting changes to the Downtown Riverfront area in Waynesboro.

When completed, Constitution Park will have a larger green space to accommodate festivals and concerts, access to the South River for fishing will be easier, the greenway will be extended by three-quarters of a mile, the Main Street bridge will be completely replaced including sidewalks and bike lanes, architectural amenities on the new bridge will be similar to the Broad Street bridge and will extend to Arch Avenue and a new Race Avenue will allow for greater access to businesses.

The Main Street bridge officially closed on Feb. 10 so that demolition can begin.  According to VDOT, Main Street will be closed between McElroy Street and East Avenue during replacement of the bridge. Final completion of this project is scheduled for December 2017, but Main Street and the new bridge are expected to open to traffic in June 2017. All work is weather permitting.

In addition to the VDOT managed and funded Main Street bridge replacement, the City is making major improvements to Constitution Park and the Greenway.

• Beginning in early spring, as part of the VDOT bridge project, McElroy Street will be removed and moved 200 feet west to create a larger green space within Constitution Park
• Beginning in summer, work will begin in Constitution Park in the area between the two bridges to extend the greenway and create easier access to the South River
• Within the next 30 days, new directional and parking lot signs will be installed in the downtown area to help guide residents and visitors to attractions, shopping, and dining

For current information on the Downtown Improvements, visit www.Waynesboro.Va.Us, and click on Downtown Riverfront Improvements in the Quick Links section.

Winter and Spring events in the downtown area will continue, although the location may be different than in previous years.  For more information, visit www.VisitWaynesboro.net.