LYNCHBURG, Va. – Downtown Lynchburg’s Main Street is reopening this week following almost 24 months of construction tied to utility and street upgrades. For business owners in the area, the end of the project marks more than a ribbon-cutting moment — it marks a chance to rebuild.
Scott Parkins, engineering manager for the Lynchburg City Water Resources Department, says the finish line is finally here.
“We’re looking to wrap up all the construction by the end of this week with the road reopening either Friday or Monday,” Parkins said.
The city says the reopening will happen in phases, with crews still scheduled to complete work in some sections over the next seven months.
Businesses look to bounce back
For local business owners, the question this week is straightforward: will customers come back, and will sales rise? Many plan to compare this week’s receipts with the same period two years ago to get a clearer picture of how much ground they’ve lost — and how quickly they can recover.
Parkins acknowledged the toll the project took on those closest to it.
“It’s understandably a tough time for the businesses in the area. They had to undergo the construction process and there’s never really an easy way to do work like this that’s in the streets,” he said.
Aidan Perkins, owner of Fox Burrow Books, says his shop is already feeling the difference.
“The construction in front of our shop happened last year. So right now we’re experiencing the benefit of the contrast like the renewed traffic, the influx of people from not having construction directly in front of us,” Perkins said.
What comes next
Business owners hope the change will be immediate — more cars pulling up, more people stopping in. But for many, a road reopening isn’t an instant fix after what they describe as a long financial squeeze.
The city says signage and temporary parking are being coordinated to help ease the transition. 10 News will continue to monitor the situation as businesses work to get back up and running.