Photo by Junious Smith III / Neuse News

The Caswell Street intersection at Queen Street will open for cross-traffic Friday at 10 a.m.. 

Charles Hughes’ construction crew has been working feverishly in sections of a couple of blocks at a time so as to not close all of Queen Street at once. The initial work location at the Caswell St. intersection is set to open up as work will begin elsewhere.

“It is impressive to see the pace at which this crew is working and their concern for minimizing as much as possible the impact on downtown businesses,” Pride of Kinston Executive Director Leon Steele said. “Sidewalks do, however, remain open and easily accessible. These also make great vantage points from which to watch these professionals work.”

New landscaping will be in place at the intersection to provide a better sense of what the completed project will look like. Five intersections along Queen Street are receiving special treatment, differing from the rest of the street to be used for mural projects. Special Christmas decorations will also adorn the intersections.

Once Charles Hughes Construction has completed its work on Queen Street, which is scheduled for the end of either August or September, NCDOT will repave Queen Street and install lights on the new Queen Street Bridge. Queen Street will also have programmable LED up-lights under the new trees with the ability to change colors for holidays or other events, and they will compliment ones planned for the Neuse River Bank near the King Street Bridge. Pavers were removed from portions of sidewalks ahead of time so they can be recycled back into the project.

The redesign of Kinston’s main boulevard, Queen Street, is progressing on schedule.