Downtown Mathews businesses and residents had a chance to learn about VDOT’s upcoming drainage project on Main and Church streets during a “Pardon Our Dust” meeting on Oct. 19 at Mathews Memorial Library. Around a dozen Virginia Department of Transportation and contractor representatives were present, but only a handful of residents attended the meeting.

The project involves installing new large pipes in two locations: under Main Street from the Food Lion parking lot to a ditch behind the parking lot between Mathews Insurance Agency and Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home, and under Church Street from the stream that feeds Put-In Creek on one side to the body of Put-In Creek behind Mathews Fire Station One on the other side.

VDOT District Engineer Marcie Parker said that previously-planned upgrades to the pipes that run under Route 198 at Hyco Corner will not be included because of cost restrictions. She said that the cost of the current project is $5.7 million. A stand-al...