SPRINGFIELD – After stormy weather soiled plans for the Mill Street grand opening that was initially scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5, the City of Springfield celebrated a sunny ribbon-cutting ceremony last Friday.
Construction on Mill Street broke ground in September last year, and south A Street to Centennial Blvd. was officially opened on Halloween the previous month. The completed project includes new pavement, ADA-compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, upgraded storm and wastewater infrastructure, improved street lighting, relocated underground utilities, and fills gaps in the city’s bicycle network.
According to the city, nine bicyclist-involved crashes were reported along the project length, so pedestrian safety was a high priority.
The project supports the City’s goals for a safer, more reliable transportation corridor for the community.
At around 2 p.m. on the corner of A and Mill streets, right outside the Major Family Funeral Home, a Springfield-branded pop-up canopy tent, chairs, and a podium signaled a ceremonial event. City staff, council members, Mayor Sean VanGordon, project partners, and other city leadership gathered for the ceremony.
Led by K&E Excavating Inc. under an $11.3 million contract, capital engineering manager Kristi Krueger said the project finished roughly $1 million under budget.
“Everybody just worked incredibly hard together, super respectful,” Krueger said. “Whenever we had challenges, we were able to work together and get this project done on time.”
According to VanGordon, Mill Street is one of Springfield’s oldest streets. “We’re celebrating what it means to invest in the community that works for everybody,” VanGordon said. “The project is a strong example of how we do things in Springfield. We take on the hard work, we listen to each other, and we do it together.”
VanGordon also thanked the neighbors who endured construction for over a year.
City councilor for Ward 2, Steve Moe, provided some community perspective for this section of the city, where, as a teenager, Moe said he was all over the area.
A classic ribbon-cutting, with an ODOT twist, took place across the sidewalk. Rather than a Springfield Chamber ribbon, an “ODOT orange” one was held up and sliced by a pair of big gold scissors.
