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Posted: 06/27/12

MRP closing half of Main
Street for Sidewalk Sales

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      The closure of Main Street will occur for downtown Romeo's July merchant event, but only a portion of it.
       The Village Board of Trustees voted unanimously to closing off the northern section of Main Street for the Sidewalk Sales and Street Festival on July 21, but decided against closing the southern portion due to traffic and safety issues.
       Bob DeLaura, president of the Romeo Merchants, Restaurants and Professionals Association (MRP), said last year's event was successful thanks to closing down the northern end, so the MRP was seeking to provide the same opportunity for S. Main Street businesses.
       "This is our one-time big event that allows the merchants, restaurant and businesses - professionals - to be able to show their product, to talk about their product," he said.
       The north end of Main Street would be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the south end would close from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
       DeLaura said the idea is to make the festival more kid-friendly, and leaving only the north end closed would prevent some of the tentative events from happening.
       "We can't take what we'd like to do to the south end and cram it into the north end," he said.
       Village President Mike Lee said the whole idea is to bring people into downtown, so by closing both ends it will "push everyone around Romeo" instead of into it.
       Trustee Bob Hart agreed, saying if people coming into downtown aren't directed by volunteers or officers they may become disoriented.
       "If I didn't know Romeo, I wouldn't know where to go," he said.
       Carol Humphreys, treasurer for the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and MRP, said the MRP could post signage about the road closures and offer volunteers to direct traffic.
       "We will do our biggest effort to do this," she said.
       Police Chief Greg Paduch said the closure and detours involving the north end went well last year, but said he would rather see closures remain on the north end only.
       He cited a lack of manpower and semi-truck traffic as the reasons why, but also pointed out Rawles would become a detour route. This would stall any emergency responses from the Bruce-Romeo Fire Department's Station 3.
       Village Clerk Marian McLaughlin said people who see the closures will presume it's safe to cross 32 Mile Road without checking for traffic, which could cause safety problems.
       "When you have festivals going on and you've got the street closed right underneath the street light, people will assume . . . ," she said.
       Trustee Ron Rossell shared this concern, but said he would work with the MRP to make the double closure happen next year.
       "I don't know that we can pull it off this year, but I think it's a great idea," he said.
       Dimitri Bonnville, co-owner of Yorokobi Sushi, said he and a number of businesses on S. Main Street would not participate in the event following the board's decision.
       "I think what you guys are doing is not taking chances, and that's what Romeo is all about<never taking chances," he said.