Long awaited construction starts on Riverside Drive in Suamico

SUAMICO, Wis. (WBAY) - Construction of Riverside Drive in Downtown Suamico started this week.

The goal of the project is to make the area more accommodating for visitors.

“It’s been an interesting year, so this will definitely add to that; but my customers are really loyal and great for us, I think they’ll find a way to get here,” said James Whiting, owner of the Four Way Bar and Restaurant.

Downtown has been home to the local watering hole for 42 years, now the road in front of it is getting a facelift.

“It will be like a drive-up curb coming to our front parking lot and the rest will be full curb. So, everybody will have to make an adjustment of how to get to different places,” said Whiting.

One major adjustment will be to south side if the road.

The village is adding a six-foot sidewalk, two crosswalks and more lighting to make it safer for pedestrians to get around.

“This section really has developed here form the west side of Velp Avenue all the way down to West Deerfield. Now, we have businesses and shops on both sides, and we just want to get people back and forth safely and use the parking lots that they can access down here,” said Andy Smits, Director of Public Works for the village.

The project is being done in three phases to give people access to downtown businesses.

“Our goal here is get construction completed and get everything cleaned up before a majority of summer events take place down here in Vickery Village,” said Smits.

“It’s been a challenging year, but really happy and proud that they were able to hang in there and survive the tough pandemic. Now, we’re looking forward to a busy events season,” said Jon Henry, owner of Vickery Village.

The project has been in the planning stages since 2015 and falls in line with the village’s strategic plan of making a growing downtown more cohesive.

RELATED: Suamico village leaders hope to continue downtown growth with sale of firehouse

“It will just help tie everything together very nicely it will be to the benefit to all the businesses her in historic downtown,” said Henry.

The village aims to have the construction completed by mid-June.

For more information about the project, click here.

Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.