A road construction project will begin on July 11 on N. Santa Cruz Avenue. But not only will the duration of the project be limited to a two-week period, the town has also made an effort to create a shopper-friendly environment.

Unique signs, which will guide people through what it is calling the "Cat-Struction" zone, will offer the picture of a cat in a hard hat and will provide facts about the construction project.

It's the final step in a process that began last year when the town began to hold public meetings in anticipation of what it originally planned as a major project that might have stretched through most of the summer. The cat signs and the short schedule are a result of town officials listening to the concerns of the merchants and doing what they could to minimize the impact on summertime business while also getting the road repaired.

Discussion of the roadwork began in the fall of 2004, and the plan called for an extensive construction project that involved replacement of not only the asphalt surface but also the deteriorating concrete base. To make just those repairs, Parks and Public Works Director John Curtis indicated two rather inconvenient options open to the town: close N. Santa Cruz Avenue from end-to-end for at least two to three weeks, or work on the roadway over eight weeks and close the road in segments.

As difficult as that sounded, things would only get worse. Late last year, the San Jose Water Co. notified town officials that it would have to lower its main pipeline under N. Santa Cruz since the repaving project called for such extensive digging on the roadway. The news exacerbated what downtown merchants already considered a bad situation. Now the roadway would have to be completely closed for a period up to 10 weeks during the summer months, and merchants would have their water shut off for a short time as well.

Thankfully, the town didn't just ignore the business community and move forward with the plan. Town Manager Debra Figone called for a meeting at the Los Gatos Cinema to explain the situation and discuss the options.

To their credit, Figone and the Los Gatos Town Council did more than just talk to merchants about the problem--they listened. The result was a unanimous vote by the council in late February to postpone the major renovation project and move forward with a shorter, simpler road repair this summer. What's more, the town developed the "Cat-Struction" signs to help shoppers navigate the downtown and learn more about the project.

The end result is an example of cooperation at its best between town government and the business community.