City helps businesses during Redmond construction

REDMOND, Wash. — Major road construction in Redmond will last for the next year. Workers are converting the two major through streets, Redmond Way and Cleveland Street, from one-way to two-way.

The conversion is intended to improve traffic flow and access to businesses, but the process is expected to take a toll on downtown businesses. One lane is already closed on Redmond Way.

On Monday the city launched a new program, "We Dig Downtown," to urge residents to buy local.  Every Monday the city will have an event to draw people downtown and to remind them that all businesses are open.

The city met with business owners in January to come up with a plan to ease the impact of the yearlong road construction.

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Some business owners told the city a previous project on Cleveland Street, when they closed the entire road, cost businesses 25 percent of customers.

They wanted to make sure that didn't happen with this project.

Jill Smith is the economic development manager for the City of Redmond. She met with business owners about the construction.

"Some of the concerns were access to their driveways, signage, people knowing they are open and concern less people would come to their businesses," said Smith.

They chose Mondays for the "We Dig Downtown" campaign because restaurant owners said business is often slower on Mondays.

Tim Short at Redmond's Bar and Grill is hopeful the road project will improve downtown in the long run but is a little nervous about the time it takes to complete the road work.

"We were a little bit apprehensive because traffic is already a problem in Redmond," said Short. "I want customers to know we're here, we're open and other businesses downtown are open and they can enjoy good food and drinks and night life even with the construction and street project that's going on."

At Minuteman Press, owner J.D. Klein encouraged customers to come downtown during construction.   "We're all about the 'buy local' message. We want people to do business locally. It feels great and we put money back in the community. We promise a higher level of service and quality than you're going to get somewhere else, " said Klein.

On Monday night, the city had drummers on various street corners to make a festive atmosphere downtown.

Cox Media Group