Business and Building Owners Preparing For Main Street Construction

Business and building owners along Main Street in Sheridan are bracing for the inevitable that will start next year.

Beginning sometime in spring of 2023, WYDOT will remove and replace the concrete along Main Street between Dow and Burkitt Streets.

At the same time, the city will work on various projects such as replacing the underground water and sewer lines.

WYDOT says the project will be done in seven sequences between the time the project starts and the end of October 2023, and in the same time frames in 2024.

Each sequence will close up to 3 blocks at a time, and when one block is completed, it will open and construction crews will move and get started on the next block, adjacent to the closure area.

How long it will take to complete each block, is dependent on how much work needs to be done and the weather.

Some business owners are questioning why 3 blocks instead of 2, and one WYDOT engineer says closing 2 blocks at a time could mean it would take longer to complete the entire project.

Sidewalks in front of the Main Street buildings will be open, but work will be done at roadway intersections to make them ADA compliant.

Megan Cook is the owner of Java Moon.

She says her business, like others, needs to find ways to attract customers, while the work is going on.

“I think as business owners we need to be innovative and we need to stay positive. Nobody likes this, it’s something that has to be done, so we just need to have great communication, keep our attitudes good and be innovative about what we can to make our businesses survive.”

Wayne Baumann is one of the building owners along Main Street.

He says his concern is there may be other uncontrollable factors such as property tax increases, inflation, and a possible recession down the road.

Combining any of those with the construction could spell the end for some businesses, resulting in vacancies in buildings.

“Those kind of expenses have to be passed on to the business, and can the business absorb that much more? They got that much business that they can absorb it? That’s going to be an interesting question, because it is a huge increase.”

WYDOT has scheduled another public meeting for Wednesday (June 15th) from 4 until 5pm at the RA Carroll Realty Building.

There will also be a booth at the Third Thursday event with more information.