Pedestrians, rejoice — parts of Pratt Street in front of the Inner Harbor are getting a bit of a facelift.

Three intersections — where Pratt Street meets Light, Calvert and President streets — are slated for upgrades that officials say will improve pedestrian safety, accessibility and traffic flow.

The $1.6 million project, which has received some federal funding, was supposed to begin more than a year ago but was abruptly paused last March. On Monday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore City Transportation Director Veronica McBeth announced construction would begin in mid May.

The project will “help us continue to build a more accessible and inviting downtown,” said Scott, who noted the project aligns with his 10-year Downtown Rise vision for the city, which calls for more investment in public transit and walkability.

“When you go to any city’s major attraction, it’s not built just for people to drive through, we’re talking about making it more friendly for pedestrians and families and folks that are walking,” Scott said.

The section of Pratt Street, smack in the center of the city, is one of Baltimore’s most heavily-trafficked by cars, bikes and people alike. That also means it sees a high rate of conflicts between them all.

These three intersections are some of the worst in the city for pedestrian- and bicyclist-involved crashes, according to a DOT safety official, and could be in for a major overhaul if and when developer P. David Bramble’s reimagining of Harborplace begins.

The project is a “long time coming” said McBeth, noting current challenges with pedestrian signals and ADA accessibility at these intersections. Officials submitted crash data to the Federal Highway Administration as part of the grant-seeking process.

Each intersection faces its own unique issues. The curb ramps at Pratt and Light are cut into the corner of the sidewalk, forcing wheelchair users to get uncomfortably close to traffic when crossing the street; pedestrians crossing at Pratt and Calvert have to keep their head on a swivel because of the Light Street spur; at Pratt and President, they often get stuck in the President Street median and have to wait another traffic light cycle to cross.

The project will include:

• New “high-visibility” crosswalks
• ADA-compliant pedestrian ramps
• New pedestrian signals with countdown timers and sound features for visually impaired pedestrians
• New signage directing bicyclists and pedestrians to proper routes
• New traffic signal conduits to support upgraded signals

Construction will last approximately nine months and require lane closures, according to the project website, but work will take place overnight to minimize traffic impacts. When announced last year, construction was to happen during the day between rush hours, but was postponed before annoying any motorists.

Late-night drivers should anticipate lane closures between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the week once construction starts. The project will coordinate with the city and delay or stop work during large events like Orioles and Ravens games or concerts at CFG Bank Arena.

The city Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting about the project at 6 p.m. Tuesday night at the Convention Center. It also will be available online via Webex.

Pratt Street will return to normal once construction is complete, meaning lane reconfiguration or reduction will not happen as a result of this project.

But it is a “head start” of sorts for a total reimagining of Pratt Street’s footprint, said Scott, responding to a question about the larger Harborplace effort.

P. David Bramble, leader of MCB Real Estate, acquired Harborplace in 2022 and released a vision that includes significant lane reductions on Pratt and Light streets as part of an effort to shift the paradigm by the Inner Harbor away from cars in favor of pedestrians.