High Point Begins Major Market District Streetscape, Utility Overhaul
High Point started a comprehensive roadway and utility upgrade in the Market District on Nov. 1, affecting S. Main Street and Russell Avenue with significant detours and multi‑system work. The project promises improved pedestrian safety, underground utilities and renewed water, sewer and stormwater systems, but will reshape traffic and deliveries through much of 2026 — with a planned pause for Furniture Market.
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High Point municipal crews and contractors launched a large‑scale streetscape and infrastructure project in the Market District on Nov. 1, initiating work on S. Main Street from Russell Avenue to Grimes Avenue and on Russell Avenue from Elm Street to S. Main Street. The program combines aesthetic and safety upgrades — new sidewalks, decorative crosswalks and mast‑arm traffic signals — with heavy utility construction that includes an underground duct bank to replace overhead lines and full water, sewer and stormwater replacements.
City officials have scheduled major traffic shifts during the early phase of the project. Detours were put into effect beginning Nov. 1 and will continue under revised routing after Nov. 10 as crews move through different work zones. The timeline anticipates a construction pause from Apr. 11 through May 5, 2026, to accommodate the city’s Furniture Market, with overall completion targeted for Oct. 2, 2026. The city has indicated that access to businesses on the affected corridors will be maintained throughout construction.
The combined nature of the work — streetscape elements layered with underground utility replacement — reflects a coordinated approach to reduce repeated disruptions in the future and to upgrade aging infrastructure. The underground duct bank is expected to remove overhead lines, improve reliability of electrical and communications services, and reduce visual clutter in the Market District. Water, sewer and stormwater replacements aim to address long‑term service capacity and resilience in the downtown core.
For residents, businesses and visitors, the immediate impacts will be mostly logistical: altered traffic patterns, changed delivery routes, and potential congestion near work zones. The planned pause for Furniture Market recognizes the economic importance of that biannual event to High Point’s hospitality and retail sectors, and the city’s scheduling indicates an effort to balance construction needs with market revenues and visitor access.
City staff advise motorists, pedestrians and business owners to monitor project updates and detour maps on the municipal website for evolving lane closures and access instructions. Maintaining clear communication between contractors, city departments and affected property owners will be important to minimize disruption and ensure timely completion. If managed closely, the project promises long‑term benefits to safety, utility reliability and the Market District’s appearance, while posing near‑term challenges that residents and businesses will need to navigate through the spring and summer of 2026.
