Savannah’s Broughton St. to reopen to traffic Friday evening

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - It’s the moment many Savannah business owners, residents, and visitors have been waiting for - the end of Broughton Street construction.

Construction work has been going on for years. Discussions about the upgrades to the street have been in the works since December of 2016.

Tonight, they’re still putting the final touches on the project but the city says tomorrow should be the last day of it.

Businesses like Namaste Savannah have been directly impacted by the Broughton Streetscapes Project.

Opening during the pandemic, then staying in business during construction has not been easy for them.

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m hoping they finish it on time,” said Loken Chand, the co-owner of Namaste Savannah.

The Broughton Streetscapes project started in 2020.

Businesses took a direct impact while the city worked on the roads in the area, some saying their sales were cut in half.

Last holiday season, the city put a short pause on construction so businesses could get a break.

While Broughton Street will reopen to traffic tomorrow evening, construction will still continue on some parking areas and sidewalks.

“Working till the 11th hour, so I’m hoping they’ll get it together and of course when they finish it will definitely look better and we all can’t wait to see how it looks after that,” said Chand.

There are still some holes in the ground and a lot of maneuvering to get around the road closure blocks, but soon those will be gone.

And hopefully, you can celebrate the beautification of a newer Broughton Street just in time for the holidays.

The end to the construction comes in time for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. It’s the time of the year when businesses on Broughton Street rely on the holiday money.

The city says the equipment will be removed later tomorrow.

The tree lighting on Bull and Broughton is still scheduled for November 25.

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