A new chapter begins for Market Street
Ribbon cutting; free concert on Friday to celebrate
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Market Street in Historic Downtown Clinton is ready for reopening after repaving was completed last week. The official ribbon-cutting to open the street to traffic after 16 months will be held at 9 a.m. Friday (July 3). This was the scene on Monday morning as workers were putting finishing touches on the street project. - G. Chambers Williams III
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A paving crew works to put a new coat of asphalt on Market Street in Historic Downtown Clinton on Tuesday evening, June 23. - G. Chambers Williams III
Clinton will celebrate the re-opening of Market Street after a shutdown lasting nearly a year-and-a-half with a special ribbon-cutting event at 9 a.m. Friday (July 3), held in conjunction with Historic Downtown Clinton and the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce.
Later in the day, a free concert will be held in the historic downtown area from 4:30 until 9:30 p.m. People are urged to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music.
Last week, Market, Commerce and Cullom streets were completely repaved with asphalt, as were parking areas behind the buildings on the north side of Market Street.
This week, workers are putting the finishing touches on the updated streets and the new sidewalks, lights and planters along Market Street. The lights, on top of decorative posts, were turned on last Thursday evening.
Repaving was the last big part of the $9.9 million project that began in February 2025, and was expected to last for about 17 months, in the historic area of downtown Clinton.
It included new water and sewer lines.
The project brought new sidewalks for the entire length of Market Street, and concrete paving of the pedestrian walkway from Commerce to Market streets, which is now being called Pearl Alley.
That walkway will serve as a pedestrian entrance to Market Street from the Commerce Street parking lot, coming out on Market Street next to Burrville Antiques.
New lamp posts and planters were installed all along Market Street, and trees have been planted.
Clinton City Manager Roger Houck said earlier that the goal was to have Market Street repaved and reopened to traffic by July 1, but it will actually be two days later than that.
Main Street continues to be shut down to traffic in sections as workers install about 35 sewer lines – called laterals – from businesses along the street to the new main sewer line in the middle of Main Street. It will be re-paved as soon as that work is finished.
Downtown merchants say they’re excited about the future as Market Street reopens with the extensive improvements.
The big downtown parking lot on Commerce Street is also scheduled for re-paving.
