Main Spotlight: Connecting, Innovating, and Sustaining a Healthy Main Street Movement
Key takeaways from six sessions at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference.
The Downtown Newton Development Association (North Carolina) partnered with the City of Newton on a temporary tactical urbanism project to demonstrate how their permanent streetscape improvements will benefit downtown. The project was the first in North Carolina to be approved on a state highway.
For one week, the community enjoyed handmade bike racks, street trees, and lighting. A public comment board to captured ideas and suggestions. Local Discovery High School students (pictured above) planned and executed the project, along with the Main Street and City volunteers.
Construction on the four-year, six-block streetscape infrastructure revitalization project started last month. Downtown Newton and the City of Newton credit the project with the overwhelmingly positive community support for the upgrades.
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