The portion of Hilyard Street between East 18th and 13th Avenue has re-opened, but another portion closes today and will remain under construction until early September, said Eric Jones, public affairs manager for Eugene Public Works. Jones said that halfway through the project, the Hilyard street reconstruction appears to be on course to be completed within the planned budget and schedule.
With Hilyard street re-opened, life is a little easier for customers and employees of some local businesses.
Bernie Kitching, who owns the Dough Company at 1337 Hilyard St., said the restaurant has not seen much of a rise in business since the street reopened, but that customers do have an easier time finding it. He also said the re-opening makes a big difference for delivery drivers, who no longer have to drive blocks off of their routes to avoid the construction.
John Lahner, a University student who lives just off of East 15th and Hilyard, said the re-opening of the road makes getting around town much more convenient.
“(During the closure) I took High Street more and getting downtown was hard. I didn’t use Alder Street as often,” Lahner said.
Lahner learned a dangerous lesson the day after Hilyard re-opened.
“It was really nice not having traffic on the street,” he said, “but the other day I tried to cross the street without looking and had to jump out of the way of a car. I learned my lesson really fast.”
The final stage of the Hilyard reconstruction will keep the street closed between East 24th and 18th Avenue, Jones said. He said that EPW hopes to complete the project by Sept. 5.
“We hope to have it reopened in time for the start of school,” he said.
The intersection of Hilyard Street and East 24th Avenue is also closed this week as work crews put down a new concrete surface, but it should be reopened by Saturday, Jones said.
Eugeneans traveling on Patterson Street can also expect delays for the next several weeks. The street is being repaved between Broadway and East 13th Avenue. In addition to the repaving, work crews will dig up part of the street, but there will always be at least one lane open, Jones said.
Jones said the Patterson street project is much simpler and less disruptive than the Hilyard reconstruction.
“The reconstruction of Hilyard is harder because we have to rebuild from the ground up,” he said.