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Politics & Government

Purchase Street Merchants Impacted By Downtown Roads Project

Purchase St. businesses are noticing differences from the Rye Streetscapes construction project at the intersection of Locust Ave. and Purchase St.

At the intersection of Locust Avenue and Purchase Street road construction work planned by the Rye Streetscape Project and Central Business District Committee has been busily underway for weeks. 

In an effort to increase traffic safety, the Rye Shared Roads Committee (RSRC) has also suggested a range of construction projects in areas considered dangerous or generally unwelcoming to pedestrians.

Though projects like the Locust Ave. and Purchase St. intersection improvements will have long-term benefits, local stores in the area have definitely been inconvenienced.

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During construction, employees in the area say they noticed a marked decline of store patronage.

barista Chris Ludecke said, “We seem to have less parking spots because they widened the sidewalk. So there are 2 spots in front of us that are no longer here.”

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She says the sidewalk change, intended to make the intersection safer for pedestrians, has made it harder to find parking.

Le Pain Quotidien store’s doorway and sidewalk were blocked off during paving work forcing them to close the store an hour early. Ludecke says it left their business “dead.”

Though business slowed during the time of construction, Ludecke noted that during the completion of the walkway most clientele didn’t seem to mind and the increased sidewalk space was now adding to the number of people walking by the shop.

Dakota Martin, 18, works as Key Holder at on the corner of Locust Ave. and Purchase St. She said that the timing of the construction, starting right after the hurricane also made business slow. She noted that construction workers were outside the shop jack hammering and “it was pretty loud.”

“I think it took away parking spaces and [the road] is a lot narrower now. I think it was pointless,” she said.

Back at Le Pain Quotidien, Ludecke noted construction was set to end Aug. 31, but there are still holes where trees are not yet planted.

A microcosm of the Rye community, the Rye Shared Roadways Committee’s members represent non-profit organizations, residents, schools and community leaders. Their intended goal is to meeting the needs of the whole community and deciding which roads to work on and what work needs to be done. They are currently working with the Rye City Council to propose projects which the community will then have an opportunity to respond.

Improvements include re-shaping sidewalks, striping the roads and lining the area with trees. That work has been partially funded by donations like the $20,000 given by Rye YMCA at the city’s last council meeting.

The City of Rye website says that the roadwork will improve traffic issues, including maintenance and installation of sidewalks and crosswalks, re-striping and re-paving of roads, as well as adding proper signage.

Editor's Note: Councilwoman Suzanna Keith sent Patch the following message on Friday after publication: "The project downtown was part of the City's Central Business District Committee and Streetscape plan and not the Rye Shared Roadways Committee. The Rye Shared Roadways committee proposals are currently under review by Council and need to be further discussed with the community." The title of this article and some text has been changed to reflect this correction.  

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