From My Stateline...
"

The fate of downtown Rockford's pedestrian mall has finally been decided. Main Street is being reopened to two-way traffic. But the construction is causing many downtown business owners to question their own fate.

Right now, it's nearly impossible to access the businesses along the stretch of construction.

"It sounds like it's been delayed and the street will not be poured until next year," says Chris Wachowiak, the owner of Kryptonite Bar. "That just scares the heck out of me."...

"You can reach it from say State Street this week, but not from Mulberry or Elm streets, and then it changes every few days," he describes. "It gets a little confusing and difficult to plan and advertise."...
Downtown Alderman, Doug Mark, acknowledges the challenge. But he believes the short-term pain will be worth the long term gain. He vows to do all he can to keep the project moving. "We need to stay on it, put pressure on it, make sure it gets done as soon as possible," he says.

But those who've invested in downtown, think more could be done to help them manage the loss of revenue.

"I spent $8,000 on fencing," Wachowiak says. "It's going to cost me a couple grand to replace it. There's no assessment for that. No assessment for the loss of revenue from not having a patio."...

So there it goes...more DOWNTOWN WHINING by LarryBots...and it SURE SOUNDS like they got their hands out,huh?
Now, I must believe this fellow has no sense of REALITY...we are in the midst of a RECESSION, pinhead, EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS is down...and recent history should have prepared the lot of them...how many other major road reconstructions have spawn similar stories...N.Main business district has never really recovered from tearing that up,(John St. to Auburn) and VERY RECENTLY there was the Kishwaukee access stories....deal with it, buddy. And Dancin'Doug is lying thru his teeth(unless, HE's really THAT IGNORANT!!!)
See, there was PLENTY OF EVIDENCE this project would take MUCH MORE TIME AND MONEY than the citizens were led to believe....remember the "underground vaults"???...they were NEVER SURE HOW MANY there actually ARE....they said 'couldn't be sure' of what they might find....matter of fact, HERE'S MO'MONEY(LarryFriend)....
http://www.ci.rockford.il.us/uploadedFiles/government/CityCouncil/Agendas/Archives/2009/cc9.21.09.pdf
"23. Alderman Beck read a Finance and Personnel Committee Report recommending the
Engineering Agreement Amendment: Downtown Streetscape be made to Homer L.
Chastain & Associates for an additional $52,042.00 for a total not to exceed cost of
$401,533.00 for additional design engineering and construction inspection. The funding source for this project is Sales Tax funds."



(Course, SOMEHOW, this will be BLAMED ON THE UNIONS and their wage freezes...)