Downtown Escanaba merchants will have to wait until Friday, Sept. 4, to hold their annual Sidewalk Sizzlin' Summer Sales, the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority announced, marking the second postponement of an event that was supposed to happen in late July.

The reason: Ludington Street sidewalks remain torn out in sections, making it unsafe for shoppers to walk in front of businesses.

"I think that they've been displaced a lot more than we anticipated," DDA Director Craig Woerpel told WZMQ. "Even where the streets are, there's a big drop. The sidewalks have always been open as long as they're not torn out, but we don't want to have an event where we're expecting people to walk and them not be able to get to it."

The sales were originally rescheduled from late July to Friday, Aug. 14, then pushed again to Sept. 4. Each year, downtown merchants move inventory outdoors onto the sidewalks, offering clearance deals as they transition to fall stock.

Sidewalks in the center of Ludington Street are nearly complete, but the eastern and western sides of downtown still need significant work, according to WZMQ's reporting. Paving of Ludington Street from 6th to 9th streets is expected to wrap up the week of Aug. 10, and paving from 9th to 16th streets is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Aug. 26, with an estimated six days to complete depending on weather, according to the Daily Press.

That Aug. 26 paving start means heavy equipment will occupy the heart of the shopping district through late August, another factor in the DDA's decision to push the event into September.

Vandalism and rain have compounded the delays. Woerpel said one whole block of fresh cement was damaged by a bicyclist who rode through it, and others have written names in or walked on uncured concrete. Drivers have also entered the construction zone despite barriers, forcing crews to redo work.

Woerpel acknowledged it's been a tough year, saying people are reluctant to visit downtown because of the construction and that businesses need promotional activities to draw them back. He said the DDA plans a large celebration once the project wraps.

Visit Escanaba CEO Robert Micheau said in an Aug. 7 interview with WZMQ that the construction "has impacted tourism from the standpoint that folks haven't been able to enjoy the downtown," while noting the region's overall summer tourism numbers have held strong.

If the remaining work stays on schedule, the entire downtown is on track to reopen in mid- to late September. Woerpel said businesses remain open and more completed sidewalks have made it easier to reach shops in the construction area. Updates on participating businesses and event details for the Sept. 4 sales will be posted on the DDA's website and social media pages. The DDA's next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27, at 8:15 a.m.