PORT TOWNSEND — When the construction is finished, that’s when people will party.
Work on Taylor Street between Washington Street and Union Wharf, originally expected to be completed by the end of May, won’t be finished until the end of June, according to the city of Port Townsend.
So a street party originally scheduled for Saturday — the “Hard Hats and Carhartts” party — to celebrate progress on the downtown construction project has been postponed to July 7.
“We decided to put this off to a time when everything was going to be finished,” said Port Townsend Main Street Director Mari Mullen.
“By then people will really be ready to party.”
Mullen said that several merchants said the party should wait until the project was finished and that scheduling the party around the construction schedule was also a challenge.
Weather was also a factor, since some forecasts predicting rain for the weekend, she said.
The party in July is expected to coincide with the city’s monthly art walk, and to include children’s activities, a costume contest and live music.
The city project is estimated to cost a total of $3.5 million: $2 million for sidewalk and street repair — 87 percent of which is covered by federal grants — and an additional $1.5 million for the placement of utility lines underground, which is a cost born entirely by the city, according to City Manager David Timmons.
City officials predict that all the downtown work will be complete by the end of June, about a month behind the original schedule but still ahead of the most active tourist season.
Washington Street was closed Thursday at the Taylor Street intersection in preparation for for paving that will continue today.
The street will be open for traffic late today, according to project spokesperson Kara Rogers.
Water Street will be condensed to one-way traffic at the Taylor Street intersection, and the southbound lane also will be paved today.
Once that is completed, paving will begin on the northbound lane which will also require one-way routing during June, Rogers said.
The final phase, to be completed by the end of June, includes the creation of a wooden walkway on the north side of Taylor Street adjacent to Union Wharf that will create a clear path between Haller Fountain and the dock.
No parking will be allowed on the walkway side and cars on the south side will park perpendicular to the curb instead of parallel.
Mullen said that no spaces will be lost, since the new configuration accommodates 38 spaces as before.
While the party has been postponed, the name of the winner of the $500 “Taylor Made for You” gift prize package still will be drawn on Saturday.
The name will be drawn from stamped yellow loyalty cards that are due today at the Main Street office at 211 Taylor St., Suite 3.
For more information, phone 360-385-7911 or go to www.ptmainstreet.org.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.