TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – After just about a year of construction, both sides of Broadway Street in Toledo are back open. It’s a welcome sight for business owners and customers in Toledo’s Old South End.
Local entrepreneurs have navigated a lot of changes from directing customers through road closures, to limited parking options, to an unexpected six months of additional construction.
But now all of those hurdles are coming down.
“There’s a renaissance going on,” said Ramón Perez, the community liaison for the Broadway construction project.
Perez said visitors now have a new runway to access the corridor.
“Flavor is back in the neighborhood, still some things that need to be worked on, but talking to some residents and businesses, they’re happy we’re getting back to normalcy now,” Perez said.
One of those businesses is BeYoutiful Salon. Owner Sonya Swain-Perdue said the construction has been stressful, but she believes it will be worth the wait.
“I’m excited because, for one, it raises the value of our businesses, for two, everybody wants a smooth street and a smooth design to drive up and down,” Swain-Perdue said.
Tracy Stubblefield is a weekly patron of BeYoutiful Salon. She remembers the beginning of construction.
“One day I was here, everything was ok, the next day there’s signs, and then I have to figure out how to get here,” Stubblefield said.
She said it was confusing to navigate partial street closures and detours, but she has seen the change.
“They’re still not done, but it’s so much better,” Stubblefield said.
Stubblefield and Swain-Perdue said communication was key in this project. Swain-Perdue attended community meetings and spoke to construction crews throughout the process to understand where the project was going.
The business owner said she hopes that city leaders use the Broadway construction project as an example of what communication needs to happen for other major work.
“I think that’s what it should be, there’s more communication between the city and the people that live in the city so that they know what’s going on and how to make changes based on what’s going on at that time,” Swain-Perdue said.
City leaders previously told 13 Action News that they are taking what they’ve learned and increasing communication for future major construction.
Dedicated BeYoutiful Salon customer Shirley Lyons said it’s all looking up now.
“I can get here quicker and easier than before,” Lyons said. “So I am really glad they are working well and they have completed this part.”
City leaders told 13 Action News that the construction project is almost finished. Two-way traffic is open, but crews are putting the finishing touches and may have temporary closures until Mid-July when the project is complete.
According to a spokesperson for the city, over the next few days, construction crews are finishing the pavement striping, installing signs, and putting TARTA signs at bus stops. In a couple of weeks, art will be installed in the median.
Business owners are hoping to add to the revitalization efforts. They are holding a meeting to establish an Old South End Business Coalition.
The meeting will be held on Monday, June 30 at 10 a.m. at the South Branch Library. If you own a local business and plan to attend, call or text Ramón Perez at 419-261-0598, or contact the Broadway Broadcast page on Facebook.
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