The arrival of spring means that construction season is not far behind. A project designed to revitalize the heart of the Village of Williamsville is moving forward.
After nearly three years of planning, construction will begin soon on the "Picture Main Street" project. The first phase includes transforming the area along East Spring Street where the Williamsville Mill is located.
The Village's Deputy Mayor Christopher Duquin says after it's done it will be one of the greenest streets in the Buffalo suburbs.
"We'll have a plaza in front of the mill. It'll have a more defined street. It will have bioswales and rain gardens which are basically places with plants in them. So we'll have a lot more greenery."
Duquin says the Village is also still working to sell its historic Mill to a private owner.
"We're expecting that that's going to be an anchor for other economic development opportunities down there."
The bulk of the Spring Street project is expected to be complete this year. And the traffic calming work on Main Street is scheduled to start in 2016. Duquin says it includes the region's first HAWK signal.
"It's a pedestrian-activated signal. And what we have is...a perceived parking problem in the village. But we really have more than enough parking the municipal lot and on that side of Main Street," Duquin said.
"What this will do is bring the two sides of Main Street back together. Because pedestrians will have the opportunity to press the button and get across the street in a safe quick way, that will bring both sides of Main Street back together."
By making the Village of Williamsville more pedestrian friendly officials expect it will spur new economic activity. The total cost is about $6.5 million.