Nearly one year to the day since ground was broken on SE Pioneer Way, the project has reached the end of the road.

“The job is essentially done as of Tuesday,” said Larry Cort, project manager for the city, late last week.

The prior two weeks saw the final push to get the $8.35 million project finished, with overhead power lines and power poles coming down and some finishing and cleanup work performed by the city’s contractor, Bellingham-based Strider Construction.

The Pioneer Way Improvement Project has been in the planning stages for decades. Dignitaries broke ground on March 1, 2011 and actual construction began about a week later.

Although the project was contentious, particularly the one-way street aspect, and had a few unexpected bumps along the way, downtown merchants are pretty unanimous that the end result looks good, according to Ron Apgar, president of the Downtown Merchants Association.

“Everybody seems to be pleased with the finished work,” Apgar said.

The new sidewalks are large and look great and the decision to put power lines underground has “opened up” the area,” he said.

“It’s beautiful,” agreed Jill Schacht, owner of Casual House on Pioneer Way.

She complimented city staff and construction workers for their efforts, saying they ran a “real classy operation.” She said they did an excellent job following up with details and making sure the needs of businesses were met.

Cort, Project Engineer Joe Stowell and business liaison Rhonda Severns staffed an office downtown for much of the project. While their role was to serve the public during the construction period, Cort said they benefited personally from friendships forged along the way.

The project was also memorable with the discovery of Native American remains in the Oak Harbor Tavern area between SE Ireland Street and SE Ilwaco Alley.

“In essence, on June 16, the project became two projects,” Cort said.

The discovery caused months of delay and resulted in about $1 million in unexpected expenses. That number is expected to climb with additional archeology at a dirt dump site on Pit Road. That work is yet to be completed.

Cort said the project has had some good luck, however, particularly with good weather. It not only aided construction efforts but saved events such as Holland Happening, which occurred at the end of April when the street was torn up.

“If we’d had a rainy weekend, it would have been an absolute disaster,” said Cort, referring to the potential for muddy streets.

Now that the project, with all its ups and downs, is finished, many merchants are now turning their sights to the future. Schacht said Pioneer Way looks good but more businesses are needed to make downtown truly thrive.

“That’s what it’s going to take; full stores and interesting businesses,” she said.

Schacht said she would like to see incentives that will attract new businesses and an effort to help remind people to drive the new Pioneer Way. The public knows it’s open, but many are still in the habit of avoiding the area, she said.

Apgar said more people have been wandering around downtown since major construction ended late last year, but business isn’t any better than it was before the start of the project.

However, he’s optimistic of a bright future.

“I think we have a chance to look at this as a new chapter in our history,” Apgar said.