Gay Street Construction Update: Preparing for the Next Phase
A look ahead at what’s happening with construction on Gay Street in the next two weeks.

Construction continues to make steady progress on Gay Street, and we’re preparing for the next major phase of work. 

While utility work between High and Fourth Streets will continue through October, we’re also preparing to begin block-by-block construction from Front Street to High Street in August. 

During this phase, the block will be closed to vehicular traffic, but pedestrian access to all buildings will be maintained at all times. 

More details on the block-by-block schedule will be shared next week; below is a look at the work you’ll see over the next two weeks.

Here’s what you need to know this week:

• No construction work will take place this weekend, but the UnderCurrent Bastille Day Festival will be happening this Sunday, July 12 from 1 – 4 pm in High Street from Gay to Long. High Street will be closed for this event.  
• Temporary utility shutdowns for vault properties will begin next week (July 13). Messer is reaching out directly to affected property owners at least two weeks in advance of planned shutdowns to coordinate.  
• Spectrum and Lumen shutdowns: Spectrum and Lumen customers will be temporarily without service Monday, July 27 through Thursday, July 30, only from 12 am-6 am each day to transition to new service lines. Customers should have received notifications directly. No other internet services will be disrupted due to Gay Street construction. If you are not a Spectrum or Lumen customer and experience internet issues, contact your provider directly.

A Look Ahead at Construction

Front & Gay Intersection

• Crews are currently working on the west side of Front Street at the Gay Street intersection on manholes, pedestrian ramps and laying pavers. Work will wrap up by Friday, July 24. Pedestrian crossing detours are signed. 

Gay Street Construction Update
A look ahead at what’s happening with construction on Gay Street in the next two weeks.

Thank you for your patience as work continues on Gay Street. Utility work between Front and High is wrapping up in preparation for block-by-block construction beginning in July.

At the same time, crews are shifting their focus to the Third Street area to install key water infrastructure and get the traffic duct bank in place, while vault work has advanced to the point where utility switchovers will begin mid-July.

Here’s what you need to know this week:

• Work this Saturday, June 27: Hydrovacing will take place at the intersection of Gay & High from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  
  
• Overnight work the week of June 29: Crews will install temporary traffic signal poles and pull wires overnight at intersections along Gay Street. This work will have minimal impact and little to no noise, though you may notice crews working overnight.
  
  
• Utility shutdowns for vault properties begin in mid-July: Planned overnight gas, and electrical service interruptions are required to transition utilities to the new infrastructure. We will coordinate directly with affected property owners and businesses. These outages apply only to properties with vaults.
  
  
• Work expands near Third Street: Waterline and duct bank installation begins next week, bringing intermittent noise and temporary lane reductions on Third Street for the next month.
  
  
• No work July 2–3: Construction will pause Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3, for the holiday weekend.

A Look Ahead at Construction

Gay & High Streets Intersection

• Work will occur this Saturday, June 27, at the intersection of Gay & High from 8 am – 3 pm. There will be hydrovacing with intermittent noise.

Third & Gay Street Intersection

• Starting the week of June 29, Third Street will be reduced to one southbound lane, Monday – Friday, 9 am – 3 pm for approximately 2-3 weeks.
• Traffic will be maintained on the east side of the street, while the two west lanes will be closed.
• This will involve intermittent hydro-vacuuming and saw cutting, which may create periods of increased noise. Work may also take place on Saturdays.

Third Street to Fourth Street

• Work to install the new duct bank will occur between on the south side of Gay Street between Third and Lazelle Street from 7 am – 3:30 pm for approx. one month starting the week of June 29.

As vault work continues, AEP and Columbia Gas will be conducting shutdowns to transfer services to updated systems. Overnight shutdowns are tentatively planned to take place from July 15 through August 8. We will be reaching out directly to affected property owners and businesses to coordinate shut downs. This applies only to properties with a vault being modified (22, 47, 51, 59, 71-73, 75-81 E Gay)

Thank you for your continued patience as work progresses on Gay Street. We know construction can be disruptive, and we truly appreciate your flexibility as crews work to improve the corridor. 

As work continues, the team has encountered a few unforeseen underground conditions that have required more hydro excavation than originally anticipated, but the project is still on schedule. 

Please note that no construction work is planned for Thursday, July 2, or Friday, July 3. 

Work Activity This Saturday, June 13 

Crews will be working this Saturday, June 13, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hydro excavation beginning at 8 a.m. 

Work will take place at the southeast corner of Gay and Wall Streets, along the sidewalk near Veritas, and at the southwest corner of the Gay and High Street intersection. 

Water Line Shutdown Planned for Wednesday, June 17, at 10 p.m. 

To complete the transition to the new water main, the City of Columbus will conduct a temporary water service shutdown beginning at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17. The shutdown is expected to last approximately 2–4 hours. 

During the shutdown, water service will be unavailable. Sinks, toilets, and water-dependent appliances will not be operational until service is restored, which is currently anticipated around 2 a.m. 

We are still working with the City of Columbus to confirm the exact buildings that will be affected, but impacts are expected to be limited primarily to properties between Front Street and High Street. As soon as we have confirmation, we will notify impacted buildings directly. 

Affected properties will also receive a door notice from Complete General Construction with additional details. 

Interconnect Duct Bank Splicing Scheduled for June 19–21 

Beginning Friday, June 19, and continuing through Sunday, June 21, crews will be working near the intersection of Gay and Wall Streets to complete more than 2,500 fiber splices connecting the duct bank between Front Street and High Street. 

Work is expected to occur during the following times: 

• Friday, June 19, 7 p.m. – Saturday, June 20, 7 a.m. 

• Saturday, June 20, 4 p.m. – Sunday, June 21, 9 a.m. 

Please note that High Street will be closed for the Stonewall Columbus Pride March on Saturday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

You may notice a work truck, generator, and temporary lighting in the area during this work. No additional road closures or traffic restrictions are anticipated. 

A Look Ahead 

Front Street to High Street 

• Hydro excavation near Gay and Wall Streets (Veritas) and on High Street will continue through Tuesday, June 16. 

• The water service shutdown is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, at 10 p.m. and is expected to last 2–4 hours. 

High Street to Pearl Street 

• A new water service line will be installed for the building at the northeast corner of Gay and High Streets (near Chouette) from June 15–17. This work will involve intermittent elevated noise levels. 

• Beginning around June 17, private utility work will cross High Street into this block. Several days of excavation and hydro excavation are expected. 

Pearl Street to Third Street 

• Water line work will continue into early next week, including intermittent hydro excavation activities. 

Third Street to Fourth Street 

• Starting June 22, hydro excavation will take place in one lane of Third Street during daytime hours (approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for about two weeks. Third Street will be reduced to two southbound lanes during this work. Left turns from Third Street onto Gay Street will be maintained. 

• Saw cutting for the duct bank and additional hydro excavation for the water line will begin the week of June 29. 

• Beginning July 6, work is expected to move to the corner of Gay and Lazelle Streets. 

Parking 

To help make visiting Gay Street businesses easier during construction, customers can park at the Fourth & Elm Garage for just $1 per hour for up to three hours with validation from a participating Gay Street business. 

Businesses interested in receiving monthly parking validations can complete the attached form. 

Please feel free to share this video or use the graphic to spread the word to your customers about this option.

Work to prepare the underground infrastructure is continuing. Here’s a closer look at some of the work you may see happening on the street.  

Overall 

You can expect periodic hydro excavation and jackhammering during work hours (Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) through the end of June. Saw cutting will begin at Gay and Front Streets the week of May 18 and progress east through the corridor.  

Pearl Alley 

This week, excavation work will begin in Pearl Street for the next 1–2 weeks. During this work, South Pearl Street will be closed to vehicular traffic during work hours but will remain open to pedestrians. South Pearl Street will reopen for vehicles at 4 p.m. each day.  

Lynn Alley will remain open to two-way local traffic.  

North Pearl Alley will remain closed to vehicular traffic.  

Click here to see a map with this traffic flow. 

Vault Water Line Work 

Over the next month, water line work associated with the vaults will also take place along Gay Street. As crews are available, they will set up small barrier areas that may block part of the sidewalk and, in some cases, extend to the building face. 

In these areas, pedestrians may be directed to use an alternate path, but access to building entrances will be maintained. Each location is expected to take approximately 2–3 days to complete. If your property has a vault, Messer will contact the property owner 1–2 days in advance to provide notice of the work. 

There are no planned water outages at this time. 

We’re moving full steam ahead with utility enablement construction on Gay Street beginning Monday, April 20. 

If you missed our last update covering new traffic patterns, demolition and parking validation details, access it here.  

Reminder: Gay Street on-street parking will be removed on Monday, April 20 from Front to Fourth Street.  

If you requested parking validations for the Fourth and Elm Garage, a Safer Downtown ambassador will deliver those by Friday, April 17.  

Missed the window to request validations? Submit a request here and we’ll do our best to get those to you quickly. 

If you’re looking for resources to keep customers and employees up to date throughout construction, use the toolkit materials available here. There’s also an editable Canva template accessible here. 

 LOADING AND DELIVERY ZONES 

During the first phase of construction (April–June) use the designated loading zones found in the image below for day-to-day needs including: 

• Deliveries  

• Customer drop-off and pick-up (rideshare, taxis, etc.)  

• Carryout and delivery order pick-up  

Please note: these zones are not for short- or long-term parking. 

Good afternoon, 

Construction will begin on Gay Street on Monday, April 20. Here’s what to expect in the first two weeks.  

Week of April 20 

Crews will begin removing medians, trees, on-street parking and parking payment kiosks along Gay Street from Front Street to Fourth Street. 

1. Work will occur during typical daytime hours (7 am – 3:30 pm). 

1. Gay Street will be reduced to one lane, one-way eastbound, using barrels to maintain traffic.  

1. Pedestrian access to all businesses will be maintained at all times. 

Beginning April 20, on-street parking on Gay Street from Front Street to Fourth Street will be removed for the duration of construction. Convenient and affordable parking will be available at the 4th and Elm Garage ($1 per hour, 3 hours max). See details below to request validations for your business.  

Week of April 27 

Utility enablement work will begin on the Front Street to High Street block, moving east to Fourth Street. This phase is expected to last approximately six weeks. 

1. Gay Street will remain one lane, one-way eastbound (Front to Fourth) during this work. 

1. During this phase, you will notice temporary traffic signals going up at High Street, Third Street and Fourth Street to help direct traffic. These will only be part of construction, not the finished project.  

1. The work will primarily take place on the north side of the street. The sidewalk will not be impacted.  

1. This work involves crews digging into and beneath the street. Jack hammering and hydro-excavation will occur periodically, resulting in intermittent increased noise during typical hours (7 a.m.–3:30 p.m.)