How long will the stretch of Main Street between Market and Broad look like this? The City of Salem gave a partial answer on October 23. The road construction there has been extended "through at least November 6," and the city called it a project that "has hit some snags along the way."
"At least" is the key phrase in that update. Part of the Market-to-Broad stretch, the block between White Oak Alley and Market Street, is Phase 5 of the city's downtown streetscape rebuild. It's the last Main Street segment in a plan the city adopted a decade ago, and the city's own project log shows how long earlier blocks have taken. If you know that history, you can plan the downtown holiday season with realistic expectations.
Why the Digging Went Deeper Than Planned
The city's update explains the delay plainly. Crews are replacing storm drains under the road, and "digging so deep under Main Street needs infrastructure to be reinforced in order to complete the process." Problems with suppliers and equipment delivery also put the project behind schedule. Crews are now working to finish storm drain installation and then paving.
The storm drains are the part you can't see. On top of them, a bigger project is underway. The city's Salem Downtown Project tracker posted an update on September 3, 2026: "Phase 5 work to begin on Monday, 9/14/26 - East Main Street from White Oak Alley to Market Street." The Phase 5 bid also lists new storm drainage piping and inlets in its scope, so the drains are part of the same rebuild.
The City's Own Clock for These Blocks
Phase 5 is the latest step in a plan with a long history. City Council adopted the Downtown Plan in January 2016. It called for a new streetscape, brick sidewalks, overhead lighting and a façade grant program for downtown businesses. The city reports about $14 million in grant funding awarded so far, with a required local match of about $1.6 million. The money has come from SmartScale, Community Development Block Grants, Revenue Sharing, the Transportation Alternatives Program, and donations from partners including Roanoke College and the Rotary Club of Salem.
The tracker logs when each finished phase started and ended. That history is the best guide the city offers for how long the current block will take.
| Phase | Stretch | Construction began | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Avenue, Clay St. to Calhoun St. | Spring 2020 | December 14, 2020 |
| 2 | E. Main St., Broad St. to White Oak Alley | Fall 2020 | May 12, 2021 |
| 3 | Main St., Broad St. to Academy/Union | October 10, 2022 | November 27, 2023 |
| 4 | E. Main St., Thompson Memorial Dr. to Market St. | March 11, 2024 | June 30, 2025 |
| 5 | E. Main St., White Oak Alley to Market St. | September 14, 2026 | No date published |
The two most recent Main Street phases each lasted more than a year from start to finish. Phase 3 took a little over 13 months, and Phase 4 took about 15. The two shorter 2020 phases still ran for most of a year. The city hasn't published a completion date for Phase 5. Based on the earlier phases, though, the stretch between White Oak Alley and Market Street will probably still be a construction zone during the holidays and possibly well beyond them. The city's November 6 date covers the road construction and paving between Market and Broad, and it's a minimum. It isn't a completion date for Phase 5.
What Comes Out From Behind the Fences
The scope is laid out in the city's Phase 5 bid posting, Invitation to Bid #2026-002. The posting is dated May 7, 2026, and is now marked awarded. The finished block is set to get:
- New paver sidewalks with improved sub-grade beneath them
- New concrete curb, asphalt pavement and striping
- New storm drainage piping and inlets
- A new or relocated fire hydrant and adjustments to water fixtures
- Street lighting and related electrical work
- Landscaping with an irrigation system
- Streetscape site features and furnishings
The bid documents include a separate streetscape planting plan, so the landscaping has been designed tree by tree and bed by bed.
For a sense of the finished result, look at the earlier phases. The city credits the streetscape and façade work with giving downtown "a complete facelift." It also says the plan helped bring several long-wished-for additions downtown, including a hotel, well-known places to eat and a microbrewery. The new streetscape also gave restaurants room for outdoor seating during the pandemic. Phase 5 finishes Main Street in the same style, linking the Phase 4 work east of Market Street with the Phase 2 block at the Farmers Market.
Downtown Is Still Open for Business
The fences take up one block, and downtown Salem's businesses are spread well beyond it. October's Salem Spooky Scavenger Hunt gives a current list of who is taking part downtown. Downtown Salem, Virginia Inc. and Salem Economic Development scheduled it for October 12 through 30, with Carter Bank as sponsor. Sixteen businesses each hid a stuffed cat for families to find.
The list makes a good plan for a downtown afternoon while the block is under construction:
- Food and drink: J's Deli, Frank's Pizza, Mac & Bob's Restaurant, Bean Bliss, Stave and Cork, and Olde Salem Brewing Co., which was also a drop-off point for finished passports
- Shops: Frame Connection, Nature's Outlet, Shrewd Outdoors, The Knittin' Coop, R.M. Johnson & Sons Jewelers, Ship Salem and Lark Hair Studio
- Everyday stops: the Salem Library, InFirst Federal Credit Union and Jacob Lewis State Farm
The city hasn't published detour maps or parking guidance for this phase. Before heading to a specific shop or restaurant, call ahead and ask how to reach their door this week. Earlier phases have sometimes needed lane closures and detours on side streets. During Phase 2, the log shows a westbound Main Street lane closure at the start and a later eastbound detour by way of West Calhoun Street. A spring 2026 city newsletter said the utility work on this block would require detours for both eastbound and westbound Main Street traffic at the same time.
The Holiday Calendar Runs Right Past the Work Zone
The timing matters most in December. Salem's holiday events gather around downtown, and the Salem Farmers Market sits at the corner of Main and Broad, at the end of the stretch named in the October 23 update.
The city hasn't announced 2026 dates yet. Last year's schedule shows the usual pattern. In 2025, the city posted its holiday lineup on November 10:
- The city Christmas tree lighting on the Salem Public Library lawn and the Christmas Parade, organized by the Kiwanis Club of Salem, opened December on a Friday evening, December 5.
- The Gingerbread Festival at the Salem Museum and Longwood Park, along with Salem Crafty Christmas at the Salem Farmers Market, took place the next day.
- The Salem Holiday Market at the Salem Civic Center was held the following weekend, December 13 and 14.
Those are 2025 dates. They aren't a promise for this year. Based on how long the earlier phases took, this year's holiday season will likely be the first one in a while with an active Main Street work zone downtown. Watch for the city's 2026 announcement in November, and expect event-night logistics to account for the block between White Oak Alley and Market.
What Follows Main Street
Phase 5 is the last Main Street phase on the city's list, and the plan doesn't stop there. The tracker shows two more phases in design. Phase 6 covers South Market Street and Roanoke Boulevard from East Main Street to South College Avenue. Phase 7 covers South College Avenue from East Calhoun Street to Roanoke Boulevard. Neither has a start date. The city has said additional phases will go forward as grant awards and other funding come in. After Main Street is done, the next construction will move onto the downtown side streets.
The city is also adding support for small businesses. On October 21, the Salem Economic Development Authority announced the Salem Small Business Equipment Investment Grant. It's a 50/50 matching grant that covers up to $5,000 of equipment costs for for-profit businesses in city limits that have 2 to 25 full-time employees and at least a year of local operation. Applications open November 5 and close December 15, and the city expects to award grants in February. If you own a small business downtown, call the Economic Development office at (540) 375-3007 to talk about it.
Construction like this affects more than traffic. It also affects how the homes and storefronts near it are valued over time. If you own property near downtown Salem and want to know what the finished streetscape could mean for your property's value, Alexandra Taylor can walk you through the comparable sales near earlier phases. Get your instant home valuation or schedule a free consultation, and we'll go over the numbers together.
