Park Street Construction Will be Suspended for December

released a statement Thursday saying that he'd directed staff to suspend all construction work on Park Street during the month of December.

“We recognize the inconvenience ,” Russo said. “And therefore it’s important to make it to continue enjoying Park Street during the holidays.”

Many Park Street business owners had objected to the timing of the work, which involves , sidewalk repair and the installation of bike racks and parking kiosks, during the most important shopping season of the year.

, Al Wright, the owner of
, wrote: "I am outraged and appalled that the city would choose to begin this work at this time of year. The holiday shopping season is critically important to virtually all the retail merchants in the Park Street Business District .... Why would you jeopardize our livelihood and your sales tax revenues by choosing to undertake this project now?"

According to today's notice from the City, work on the Park Street Streetscape Project will stop by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30, and then begin again after the new year.

In addition there will be no work done on the street on Thanksgiving or the Friday after.

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