Motorists traveling Business Route 17 at the southern end of Gloucester Court House may have noticed some colorful changes over recent weeks.

The first phase of the Main Street Gateway project is nearly completed, and according to Jenny Crittenden, executive director of Gloucester’s Main Street Preservation Trust, it hasn’t cost taxpayers a dime.

Crittenden said the MSPT has had the enhancement project in its vision for quite a while and began the design process in 2014. This phase of the project, which just exceeds $100,000, is well worth the money the MSPT has put into it, Crittenden said. “It’s a great use of funds,” she said. “We are welcoming people to Main Street in a physical environment just like the businesses here welcome people into their stores in such a warm way.”

“It’s a lot of work for that amount of money,” added James Dudley, chair of the MSPT board of directors. “Our mission is to enhance the viability of local businesses in the business district. We felt this was an important way to support that mission.”

According to Crittenden, the Trust partnered with the landscape architectural firm Carlton Abbott and Associates in Williamsburg. When that firm’s directors retired, she said the Trust was fortunate enough to keep Ricky Wiatt on board, who is now working for another landscape architectural firm, VHB, also located in Williamsburg. He and fellow architect Doug Mettler did the overall master plan for this first phase. “They have seen the project to fruition,” she said.

Green Planters of Hayes was awarded the contract for doing the planting and mulching and is also responsible for maintaining the landscaping within the corridor. That business will also make sure the plantings are watered on a regular basis, Crittenden said.

Conrad Brothers, Inc. of Chesapeake, owned by Morgan Wells, has been the general contractor. That company has been in charge of the hardscaping, the banners and polls that will align the corridor, and traffic management, she added.

According to Crittenden, the installation of 11 poles with double banners “branding” downtown Gloucester will be put up sometime this week. “These banners have been designed to read, ‘Shop, Dine, Love and Explore Main Street’ in a very colorful fashion,” she said.

Also incorporated into this first phase is special signage encouraging people to “Visit Downtown Gloucester” and brick paving at the intersection medians.

“We’ve had a lot of people asking, ‘What is going to be phase two?’” Crittenden said. However, it has not been decided yet where the second phase of the project will continue; whether it would continue down the corridor or focus more on the other two arteries such as the intersection of Main Street and Route 14 and the intersection of Main Street and Route 17 at Newington Baptist Church.

“Our ultimate goal is to carry the improvements all the way through Main Street to Newington with a welcoming corridor at the northern entrance,” she said. However, this will take several years to complete, she added.

“This has been a great public/private partnership,” Dudley added. “It has required a lot of time and coordination between different entities.”

Crittenden said it has been “heartwarming” to see all of the appreciation expressed on social media by residents and guests who have noticed the project. She said she even had a past MSPT board member tell her this project “shows the love the Trust has for downtown and for the greater Gloucester community.”