HOISINGTON — Working on a major street project with a popular event looming can be a challenge. Hoisington City Manager Jonathan Mitchell has been monitoring the progress of the community’s Second Street resurfacing project with an eye on the Labor Day weekend celebration that began Friday.

“Everything west of Main should be completed and open for Labor Day weekend, so we’re excited about that,” he said.

The City of Hoisington was awarded $568,5711 in cost share funds from the State of Kansas in June 2021 and two years later, the project was begun. The project is being undertaken by Stone Sand, Suchy Construction and Sharkey Construction.

Last June, the city drew alternate routes as the first phase of construction got underway, so that access to businesses impacted by the project would be available.

“They have really made some quick progress and we were able to get everything done,” Mitchell noted. “They are going to try to get some breaks, just to make sure that everything is ready for traffic.”

Because downtown Main Street is traditionally an integral host for activity during Labor Day weekend, traffic during the event is diverted one block west of Main to North Green. Green passes through Second Street along the detour, so there were some initial timing concerns.

“It sounds like they are going to have everything from Main through Green open,” Mitchell said. “So the detour route for sure will be able to go down Green.”

As a reminder, parking is at a premium downtown during the celebration, so visiting motorists should be mindful of restricted areas, Mitchell noted. “We’re getting everything ready, we are putting up a bunch of ‘No Parking’ signs,” he said. “We should be ready for the big weekend.”