NORTHVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A major construction project in Northville is set to close Main Street through downtown starting Monday.
Crews will work on part one of the city's Town Square refresh, shutting down Main Street from Hutton to Center streets for resurfacing, creating curbless streets and a speed humb. The clock tower and brick island will also be rebuilt.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below:
Kate Knight, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said the city is hustling to inform the community after getting the opportunity to start the project almost a month ahead of schedule.
"We had an opportunity to start earlier, which is ideal. Our priority is to get in and out prior to the busiest time of the year," Knight said.
Knight says the DDA team will be going door to door this week with print materials and additional information. They anticipate without delays the project can finish by June 5.
While drivers will not be able to travel through Main Street, sidewalks will remain open so people can still visit their favorite businesses.
Julie Cole, part owner of Great Harvest Northville, said timing is everything for businesses that rely on street traffic.
"We’re excited about it because initially, we had no idea when they were gonna be able to do the refurbishing outside our bakery, so if they’re gonna start Monday and have it done by June 1st, that would be awesome," Cole said.
William Hundley, owner of Tuscan Cafe, is also looking forward to the completed project.
"We're excited. I mean obviously, construction is always painful while you’re going through it, but on the opposite end of that, we’re going to have a beautiful summer full of activities and we’ll have this brand-new updated, looking really good downtown," Hundley said.
For residents, the closure means finding new routes around the downtown area.
"I like when the streets are closed though. I know that’s not a sentiment amongst everyone," Jessey Bouchard said.
Previous report: Northville's Town Square Refresh construction begins spring 2026
"I live downtown, so I just drive around and it's not that big of a deal and I walk the rest of the time through. So anywhere I have to go is not that big of a deal. But I know it’s an inconvenience for a lot of people," Cindy Schroeder said.
"Since I live a half mile west of town, I guess I’ll go that way, go around," Susan Baker said.
Also on Monday, the intersection of 7 Mile and Sheldon roads will close down again so roundabout construction can finish.
"It seems like everywhere we go, the roads are torn up," Baker said.
Despite the headaches, city leaders believe the temporary inconvenience will benefit the community in the long run.
"Construction is always a challenge. There's never a great time to do it, but downtown Northville is worth it. This is a maintenance project that’s really about maximizing the beauty of a north star in downtown and the public will love this. The pain of construction is well worth it," Knight said.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
