City staff are preparing for the start of construction on the Livable Communities Initiative streetscapes project planned for downtown.
Richard McLeod, the city's community development director, said they're on track to start work after the city's Independence Day parade and complete it before the Christmas Jubilee parade in December.
"We're trying to be very sensitive to the Christmas shopping season for merchants," he said.
The city's streetscapes project will "reshape the entire area" of Main Street downtown from Towne Lake Parkway to Oak Street, McLeod said.
New, wider sidewalks will be put into place along Main Street, along with new streetlights and trees. Parking will be converted from parallel to angled spots, which McLeod said would create more parking spaces.
The new sidewalks will be compliant with the American with Disabilities Act and would include "bulb-outs," which extends the sidewalk into intersections.
The Woodstock City Council approved a contract with Johnson Landscapes on Monday night to construct the streetscapes project for $887,356.
The project comes on the heels of the start of another road project downtown. The city government recently began work on a roundabout on Main Street at Haney Road.
The roundabout is designed to help ease traffic flow once the Woodstock Knoll neighborhood on Main Street north of downtown is completed. It's been touted as an alternative to another traffic light in the corridor.
The city won Atlanta Regional Commission LCI grants to pay for the transformation.
The LCI grant promotes quality growth in the region by encouraging greater mobility and livability within existing employment and town centers.
McLeod said as part of Johnson's contract, the company is required to communicate with business owners affected by the construction.
The city government, he added, is brainstorming ways to keep merchants and residents informed of any effects the project will have on traffic.
Council members said they are thankful to see the project finally come into fruition.
"I'm glad to see it's going to come together," Councilwoman Tracy Collins said, adding she thinks it will improve downtown.
Tracy Wood, owner of LKT Sports Art on Main Street in downtown Woodstock, said while he's looking forward to the finished product, he's apprehensive about the project's timing.
"I'm really nervous about what's going to happen when November and December gets here," he said, adding those are his peak months. "I hope I can survive."
He added he hopes the city government adequately informs pedestrians and shoppers about the changes.
Wood, who has been in business since 2000, said the project will help pedestrians get around downtown more easily and make crossing Main Street less dangerous.
"I'm all for it because it's going to look nice" once the work is done, he said.
I think YOU are the real looney, sure they are spending our money, but its going towards good reasons. I want to be able to walk to the park for ocncerts and such without the fear of being ran over when I try and cross the street. They have been successful in other projects they have done so I dont see how they will fail here. Woodstock is a fine city.....but not with yo-yo's like you bashing everything they do living in it.