Maple St. in Tryon will soon see sidewalks on both sides of the street as well as increased parking and bumpouts.
Tryon Town Council met Tuesday, June 17 and approved a contract with Trace and Company for $37,300. The town has budgeted $40,000 for the project with the Polk County Community Foundation awarding a grant for $20,000, to pay for the sidewalk on the St. Luke’s Plaza side of the street.
Council also decided last week to leave the street’s name as Maple Street. There was a suggestion at one time to change the name to Maple Lane, in honor of Bob Lane, who renovated St. Luke’s Plaza. Council decided after speaking with business owners to leave the name as is since it would cost business owners money to change the name.
Council met with Matt Lawter, with Trace and Company, who said he plans to begin construction on July 7. The project includes sidewalk improvements on the Owens Pharmacy side of the street, a sidewalk added to the St. Luke’s Plaza side of the street, bumpouts to visually narrow the street to appear more like a one-way and to change the parking to angled parking instead of parallel. The new design includes 15 spaces while Maple St. currently has six parking spaces. Town manager Joey Davis said the town will use state Powell Bill funding to do some repair work to the sidewalk along Trade St. in the area going towards Buck’s Pizza during construction.
Council also directed staff to work with Trace and Holding to place a kiosk in the area during construction.
Lawter said weather permitting construction should take a month to six weeks to complete.
Council included in the contract that the project be completed by the end of October, and if not, the contractor will be charged $250 per day.