Submitted by City of Westfield
Construction on the Park Street Improvement Project in Downtown Westfield is scheduled to begin in May 2026. City officials say the project will make Park Street safer, enhance walkability, and be better suited to host future events and festivals.
Work will take place in two phases and is expected to be completed in late spring 2027.
Willis
“Restaurant Row on Park Street is a gem in our community,” Mayor Scott Willis said. “We want to make it shine even more and position the businesses along this corridor for even greater success. I acknowledge there will be short-term disruptions, but these improvements will benefit residents, visitors, and business owners in the long-term.”
Keith Dusko, owner of Chiba, 228 Park St., agreed.
“In my opinion, it is short-term pain for long-term gain,” Dusko said. “I truly believe in the future of Westfield. This landscape will look entirely different in a few years, while at the same time retaining the village feel on Park Street. We are excited for what is coming together.”
To reduce the impact on local businesses, Park Street will remain partially open during construction. At least one lane will remain open and access to businesses will be maintained throughout the project. Valet service will be discontinued to reduce traffic through the construction zone. Public parking continues to be available on the west end of Park Street in the temporary parking lot, in The Union garage (first three hours are free), and in on-street spaces on Mill, Jersey, and Union streets.
Planned upgrades include:
- Changing the traffic direction to east to west (instead of west to east) to improve downtown traffic flow and reduce left turns
- Adding flush curbs to improve pedestrian access and support future event set-up
- Installing brick pavers and updating streetscape features (landscaping, trees, and more)
- Creating parklets for additional seating and gathering space
- Adding new decorative catenary lights to enhance the look and feel of the street
A future phase of the project will add a new plaza connecting Park Street to the Midland Trace Trail, along with a parking garage at Park and Poplar Streets.
Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA) completed the project design, and construction will be led by FA Wilhelm. For more information about the Park Street Improvement Project, visit westfieldin.gov/parkstreet.