By Mike Genet 

The Examiner

Not every part of the Independence Square construction project will be complete before the SantaCaliGon Days Festival in less than two weeks.  

But everything that needs to be done by then will be done, Independence city staff says. New pavement for streets and sidewalks is done, and by now drivers should start getting used to the bicycle bollards on two blocks and a couple of direction changes, as traffic on the blocks immediately around the Truman Courthouse is now all one way, moving clockwise. 

“There’s some punch-list items, but we’ll have it shut down and made safe for citizens for the festival,” said Rich Kemple, deputy director of municipal works. “When you do a large construction project like this, you go back and inspect and see if anything was missed.”  

Liberty Street is now northbound only between Maple and Lexington avenues, and Main Street is southbound only between Maple and Lexington. The streets and parking spots had not been relined as of Monday, and not all traffic signs are in place, so there could be some confusion for drivers.  

The bollards on Main Street and Lexington Avenue are meant to separate motor vehicle lanes from bicycle lanes. They can be removed and put back in place – such as for events like SantaCaliGon. 

Construction crews have widened many sidewalks around the courthouse and created sidewalk “bumpouts” — sidewalk and curb extensions into the roadway — at each of the four corners. They are meant to slow traffic and make the area safer for pedestrians. 

Kemple said new pavement lines and traffic signs should go in this week. 

“It’s going to take some time for everyone to get used to it,” he said. “It will take some time for all the signs and markings. We just ask people to be careful and cognizant of traffic.” 

Also, both Maple and Lexington will become two-way streets on the block immediately east of Main Street. Lexington west of Liberty will remain one way (west) as it has been. Kemple said Maple west of Liberty will eventually become two ways, whereas it currently is only eastbound. 

Landscaping will go along the sidewalks and in the bumpouts, but as planned that will not be installed until after SantaCaliGon. 

Although the bike lanes and bumpouts removed a couple dozen parking spots immediately around the Truman Courthouse, the parking lot next to the Pharaoh Cinema across Maple is available to the public. 

Amy Knipp, SantaCaliGon organizer for the Chamber of Commerce, said the sidewalk bumpouts took away what has been some booth space for the festival, but that is made up for by moving 1849 Main Street — a set of booths, demonstrations and activities to evoke that time period — to the Liberty Lounge area off Liberty Street.  

“It’s good place for it,” she said of 1849 Main Street. “We really moved some stuff around with booth placements.”