Crews upgrading infrastructure on High Street in Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, Md. – Crews are hard at work on High Street in Cambridge, working to upgrade water mains under the street.

Brandon Hesson, the Associate Director of Economic Development said, “I think everybody knows the surface here has been rough, but what a lot of people don’t realize is the infrastructure under here is more than 100 years old.”

As part of the project, crews will eventually resurface the historic, yet notoriously bumpy road.

Doug Parker, the Owner of Downtown Frame of Mine said, “[It’s] like going down here in a boat when the water is rough. It’s been really really bad.”

When they first laid down the bricks on High Street, the Titanic was in the middle of being built. That gives you a rough idea of just how old the road really is. Now crews are hoping all their work will last just as long the second time around.

Hesson said, “Somewhere around March or April you’re going to start to see some bricks going down on this street.”

Doug Turner told 47ABC he is just glad the city is resurfacing the road with brick instead of cement. He said, “I’m old school, I love the bricks. I think it’s going to make a beautiful street! Let’s just hope that when they get this done, it stays done.”

The road could be partially closed for at least another month, which would mean another month of scarce foot traffic.

Looking at it with the glass half full, Parker says, he’ll manage. “Well I’ve been able to stay open but it hasn’t made much difference.  It’s very slow, obviously no traffic coming down the stree,t but there are still a few people walking around so I am hoping to snag one here and there,” he said.

As part of this project, the city is going to upgrade some sidewalk corners on High Street to make them more accessible to people in wheelchairs and they will be upgrading crosswalks as well.

Work is expected to be completed on High Street sometime in the next few months.

The city is providing weekly updates on the construction work every Friday on their website ChooseCambridge.com.