AUGUSTA, Maine — It was a simple switch from one way to a two way street in downtown Augusta that set off a wave of new ways. It all started on Water Street in 2019, leading to other redevelopment efforts in the area.
Besides the significant two-way traffic lane switch, the city also added handicap accessible crosswalks and a complete reconstruction of Commercial Street, including colorful staircases that enable residents to get to downtown easier.
Augusta's director of development services Matt Nazar says the changes are working as hoped.
"Going from one-way to two-way doesn't sound that big a deal but everybody who we've talked to has said that it feels significantly different in the downtown, that it doesn't feel like a place that you go through anymore, it feels like a place that you are going to and want to stop and be," Nazar said.
Nazar adds the revitalized downtown Augusta feels a lot more like an actual "downtown" and hopes the positive changes can keep bringing new small businesses, new residents, and new visitors to the area.
"We've had a real revitalization going on with respect to residences in upper stories of the buildings and in restaurants and other businesses in the Water Street level," Nazar said.
The Maine Association of Planner's Jim Fisher says the downtown Augusta redevelopment plan was recently named "Project of the Year" by the association.
"Augusta is the state capitol and it has a beautiful riverside downtown which needed this kind of renovation to make it stand out in the state," Fisher says.
Fisher hopes it serves as a model for other communities.
"What we need to do is rethink who our target markets are, what kinds of businesses or services will thrive in those locations, and then we need to design the public infrastructure...to make that happen!" Fisher said.
Augusta's downtown became a whole new neighborhood. "Offering that kind of really enjoyable, unique downtown experience is something a lot of Mainers really want," Fisher said.
Nazar said, "We have residences down there that didn't exist before, and people seem to really enjoy living down there, and we've got some extremely vibrant wonderful businesses."
Nazar and other city officials hope once more people are comfortable going out, downtown Augusta will continue the same development in the area to keep growing for many years to come.