Residents and visitors in Downtown Loveland are experiencing a unique challenge this fall: construction projects on both 3rd and 4th Streets at the same time.
For months, the City has been working on a major 4th Street renovation, which many locals have dubbed a “necessary nightmare.” The disruption was already testing drivers and pedestrians. Then, in mid-September, a new layer of construction began just one block away, on 3rd Street.
Many assumed the projects were connected, but the City clarified that wasn’t the case. The new 3rd Street work involves crosswalk upgrades at Lincoln and Cleveland Avenues.
The timing left some scratching their heads. The City announced the start of the project on September 15, just one day before work began.
The reason for the rush? Loveland had secured $250,000 in funding from CDOT’s Revitalizing Main Streets program earlier this year. But the grant came with a condition: if the crosswalk upgrades weren’t completed by October 2025, the money would be rescinded.
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That looming deadline meant the City had no choice but to move forward, even as 4th Street remains torn up.
For pedestrians, the change was immediate. On September 16, those walking along Lincoln Avenue discovered they couldn’t cross from 1st to 4th Street on the east side due to the new work zone. “I could hardly believe it,” one observer noted, recalling the shock of realizing both streets were blocked.
The 3rd Street project is designed to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, with better markings, curb ramps, and visibility improvements at crossings. While the inconvenience is real, City officials emphasize the upgrades will deliver lasting benefits.
Still, for business owners and residents downtown, the overlapping projects make daily routines more complicated. The short notice and added congestion only amplify frustrations.
Looking ahead, once completed, both projects are expected to support the City’s vision of a more walkable, vibrant downtown. For now, though, Loveland residents are simply enduring the messy reality of progress on back-to-back streets.
Originally reported by Dave Jensen in Retro.
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