LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – City leaders hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning on Broadway, marking the official start of a reconstruction project that will reshape one of downtown Lubbock\u2019s most recognizable streets.<\/p>\n
Construction has already begun to replace historic brick pavement with concrete and new brick pavers at intersections between Avenues Q and E. The project will also add bike lanes, new sidewalk, benches, trees, lighting, and traffic signals, along with underground upgrades to pipes and drainage.<\/p>\n
Mayor Mark McBrayer acknowledged the street\u2019s history while pointing toward its future.<\/p>\n
\u201cBroadway will always kind of be like a front door to the City of Lubbock and to this place we call home,\u201d McBrayer said. \u201cBut we\u2019re here today to look to the future…we want people to come downtown, park their cars, walk around support our local businesses here, enjoy everything this area has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Much more than a road project\u2019<\/p>\n
Dan Williams, chair of the Central Business District TIF, said the scope of the work extends beyond infrastructure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a road project, but it is much more than that,\u201d Williams said. \u201cIt\u2019s about creating a place that\u2019s safer to walk, safer to drive, easier to explore, more inviting to invest in and more connected to the rest of downtown.\u201d<\/p>\n
District One Councilwoman Christy Martinez-Garcia says the project will create a smooth, welcoming path for downtown, while paying tribute to the rich history of the road.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you are a fan of the bricks or not, I think we all can agree that this important corridor was ready for some much-needed love, right?\u201d she said. \u201cIt will create a beautiful gateway into the heart of our city and help connect our community to all that downtown Lubbock has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Years in the making<\/p>\n
Heather Keister chaired the Citizens Advisory Committee in 2024, when the project was approved through a street bond.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know everyone has an opinion about what Broadway should look like and I felt like we all were able to work together to define something that then could be supported by the citizens of Lubbock,\u201d Keister said.<\/p>\n
Former Councilman Randy Christian said the effort spans nearly two decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t just start with my council tenure, it goes back many, many,\u201d Christian said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m just so glad that everybody understood why this vision and the completion of this vision was so important to the future, \u2018cause no council that I can think of really backed off of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Business owners brace for disruption<\/p>\n
For business owners along Broadway, the two-year construction timeline presents challenges. Marsha Johnson, owner of Sweet Creations, called the timeline \u201ca little scary\u201d but encouraged residents to continue supporting local businesses during construction.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust come down, of course they\u2019re gonna have the streets kind of blocked off, but there is parking in the back,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThere\u2019s ways to get to us and we\u2019re just going to need the community. I always say there\u2019s no us without u, and so we\u2019re going to be dependent on you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christian said the Broadway project is one of several developments \u2014 including Pickering Park and the Broadway Market \u2014 that he believes will significantly change the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not think that people understand how transformational this will be,\u201d Christian said.<\/p>\n
The project is expected to take approximately two years to complete.<\/p>\n
According to the City of Lubbock, the historic bricks will be stored at a stockpile for the streets department at the Canyon Landfill site.<\/p>\n
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