LYNN — Market Street has always been known as a central shopping district in the downtown area of the city, home to businesses such as Eastern Bank and Zimman’s Inc., and now heavy construction on the street has left those who travel down it wondering what’s next for Market Street.

Construction in the area is part of a bigger development — the Northern Strand Expansion Project. This will see the construction of a two-way separated bike lane and shared-use trail, which extends from Western Avenue, through South Common Street, Market Street, and the Lynnway, where it reaches Nahant Road.

Completion of the overall project is slated for November 2026, but as of now, there is no tentative date for the completion of the Market Street portion of the project.

The project seeks to provide safer and improved transportation access for bicycle users and pedestrians.

Principal Planning Director Aaron Clausen spoke with The Item to explain the background and timeline of the project.

“The state has been working on a regional bicycle and pedestrian facility that would run along a former rail line that starts in Everett and continues all the way to Lynn,” Clausen said. “Right now, it currently ends at the active rail line that carries the MBTA commuter rail from Lynn into Boston. … So, the state’s been building out this facility for at least over a decade.”

Clausen explained that the Northern Strand begins at the casino in Encore Boston Harbor, and makes its way to the city of Lynn. “Currently, it stops at Western Avenue, where the right-of-way continues a little bit south, and the Lynn Community Path was built along the rail trail, which stops at Bennet Street, where it used to connect with the commuter-rail line,” he said.

Clausen explained where the route runs specifically through Market Street. “It starts at South Common, continues through Market Square along South Common, to Market Street, and then makes a left on the Lynnway — and essentially ends on the causeway side of Nahant,” he said. “So, it’s a pretty significant regional transportation infrastructure.”

Clausen explained that funding for the project came through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and MassDOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, which is a funding program that goes into reducing traffic crashes for all users, including bikers.

Another element of the project as Clausen explained it will see an emphasis on greenery to liven up the area.

“Particular in Market Street, along the entire stretch, there will be ‘interventions,’ if you will… As you’re heading south toward the Lynnway, there’s a series of islands that separate the travel lanes,” he said. “And those will be landscaped. On the southbound side, there’s going to be additional tree plantings that will be a part of it. … So, there will definitely be landscaping and some streetscape improvements.”

He said the separation is mainly for bicyclists. “There’s going to be, particularly in Market Street, some significant safety improvements for pedestrians. … Upgrades to traffic signals, bump outs, shortening the distance for pedestrians to cross. There’s some co-benefits that are aligned with this project.”

Once everything is complete, it will be two lanes of traffic on Market Street, with one in each direction. “All of the parking spaces will be replaced,” Clausen added. “There will be a couple of parking spaces at intersections that will be removed — but for the most part, the parking spaces that were removed, particularly from City Hall Square to Tremont Street, will be replaced.”

Clausen said he expects the construction has been a challenge for businesses in the area. “I would imagine this is not easy for businesses operating on Market Street — and the hope is that once construction is done, we’ll see improvements from an economic perspective.”

Commissioner of the Department of Public Works (DPW) Andy Hall elaborated on how construction is going on Market Street.

“Construction is progressing nicely. There are some minor issues with trolley rails and utility conflicts. Nothing unusual for a project of this size,” Hall said.

The contract completion date is November of 2026, Hall added.

“Some of the mast arm foundations for the new traffic signals had to be shifted slightly to accommodate existing infrastructure,” Hall said. “The contractor and the MassDOT oversight/design team have been working it all out.”

Mayor Jared C. Nicholson also commented on the status of the ongoing project.

“We understand that all significant infrastructure projects such as Market Street come with temporary inconvenience for those who travel that corridor as well as the businesses located there. We have stressed to MassDOT the need to limit that inconvenience by doing the work as efficiently as possible and minimizing the disruption,” Nicholson said.

“We are confident this will be a case of short-term pain resulting in long-term gain when the project is finished and Market Street is safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists,” he added.