POLSON — While all stores remained open

during just less than three months of construction, Polson’s

brand-spanking new Main Street is now officially ready for cars,

customers and pedestrians.

The Polson Business Community got the

celebration going Friday evening with a Main Street Block Party

centered around the intersection of Main and 3rd Ave. Some fences

and signs remained up, but by Saturday morning all evidence of

construction had disappeared from the area and cars lined the

newly-paved thoroughfare.

Neon “Open” signs glowed from all

storefronts as extended business hours Friday evening allowed

patrons to visit through front store entries barred throughout the

construction phase.

“It’s fantastic and exciting to see the

community out celebrating a great community project,” Polson City

Manager Todd Crossett said. “Here it is November and we’re having a

big party in the street.”

Free music, games, drinks, food and

drawings for assorted prizes, including the grand prize of a trip

to Disneyland, kept the hundreds of revelers occupied throughout

the event. Polson Business Community member and owner of Jackie

M’s, Jackie Cripe, said the PBC estimated 1,200 people visited

during the event.

The Polson High School band played away

while University of Montana mascot, Monte, paid a visit to the new

stretch of street. The high pedestrian traffic gave business owners

a chance to showcase their wares after months of a decline in

business.

“It was insane, I don’t think we’ve

ever had that many people in the store,” All in Stitches manager

Kathy Klinge said. “Any time you can get people into your shop is

good exposure for the future.”

Despite the negative effect the street

closure had on sales, Klinge is happy with the finished

product.

“I think it was a project that had to

be done, we just had to grit our teeth and get it done,” she said.

“In the long run, the benefits will outweigh any negative

aspects.”

New sidewalks, street blacktop and

curbing give the downtown a new look as well, and the remaining

update includes 30 new decorative, 1930s-style light poles that

will offer soft lighting the length of Main’s five blocks.

Underneath the road surface, the city water main has been replaced

with a more modern upgrade. Bulb-outs at each side-street

intersection are in place to boost the visibility of pedestrians

for drivers. Landscaping remains to be completed and the new trees

won’t be fully appreciated until springtime, Polson City

Development Association member David Devore said.

“It’s nice to have the road done and to

have things a little more modern,” he said.

Crossett said when all is said and

done, the project will have cost approximately $2 million.

Some of the new additions may take

drivers a bit of time to get used to. Stop signs at every

intersection create four-way stops, a new twist at making Main

Street more pedestrian-friendly. Polson Asst. Police Chief John

Stevens said there has been much discussion concerning the road

signs, and the numbers through the thoroughfare could be altered as

time goes on.

“We’re just going to have to give it

some time,” Stevens said. “We don’t know if they’ll all be needed

or what will happen.”

Crossett said the decision has been

part of an experiment to change driving and walking habits along

the street.

“We’re evaluating the right amount of

stops along the way,” he said. “We might keep them at 3rd, 4th and

7th and put ‘Stop for Pedestrians’ signs at 5th and 6th, but we’ll

see, we’ll take public comment.”

Visitor numbers have been high in the

first few days, and business owners hope that trend continues for

the foreseeable future.

“We as merchants needed something like

the party as much as the people did,” Cripe said. “We were kind of

in the dumps so we needed an uplifting event. Traffic was good on

Saturday as well and now we’re going into the holiday season, so

hopefully the momentum will keep going.”