Downtown light replacement project begins at Franklin Square

posted on 4/26/2025

Crews will block Central Avenue’s left turning lane onto Third Street during working hours starting Monday, April 28. The closure is anticipated to last upwards of three days.

Motorists will instead be detoured to the Third Street lot just north of the Broadway intersection before the train tracks. Central Avenue’s southbound U-turn lane may also be intermittently closed, though crews plan to keep the lane open. Downtown parking is not expected to be impacted.

The closure is to allow upgrading the lights in the median of Franklin Square, part of overall project to upgrade aging downtown street lights, many of which were installed in the late 1970s. The goal is also to improve the overall lighting, including around the crosswalks, for improved visibility and pedestrian safety.

The initial phase in Franklin Square will help city staff determine how much of the buried electrical conduit can be reused. If the existing conduit can be utilized, staff hope similar conditions exist for the conduit under the sidewalks of Central Avenue, reducing the impact to the public for the light installation and the project’s total cost.

For more information, contact Community Services at 603-516-6450.