The section of High Street from the Elgin Boulevard intersection to the water tower reopened on Friday afternoon and once the fog lifted on Saturday morning, residents were out on the strip to see the changes.

Perceived pros of the works included the look and accessibility, while cons were less parking spaces and build-up of traffic.

Stanley Street's Mad 4 Hair owner Mathew Poppins said the road was re-opened to traffic at 4pm on Friday, with a steady flow continuing on Saturday morning.

"We had our first traffic jam at about 4.30pm," he said.

"It's been busy this morning and it's good to see cars driving down the street.

"It's early on, but people like it."

Wodonga couple Jackson Heagney-Steart and Alyce Nunn, who bought a house near High Street six months ago, praised the new-look High Street.

"It has been a little inconvenient that it was closed so long, but now it's open again it's really exciting," Mr Heagney-Steart said.

"It looks similar to the other end of town and it all looks great.

"I moved away from Wodonga and came back a few years ago and there's so much going on; it's such a vibrant place now."

IN OTHER NEWS

Mr Heagney-Steart said the replacement of traffic lights near the post office with two flashing zebra pedestrian crossings was a good move.

"The crossings are great; it's a lot more convenient for pedestrians and people coming in to the visit the area."

Long-time Wodonga resident Pat Welch believed the crossings weren't the best move and would create congestion for traffic.

"It could be confusing who has right of way," she said.

"Through traffic should be encouraged to avoid the main street, because I think the layout will attract pedestrians to meander."

Ms Welch supported a slower speed on High Street, an idea which was floated by Wodonga Council in 2017, but noted that the pedestrian traffic would probably slow the flow of traffic anyway.

"I think a 20km/h restriction would be a good idea," she said.

"I came here just before the rail line was removed and I've watched High Street morph into something quite spectacular.

"It's exciting because it's something innovative in Wodonga."

Ms Welch also said the street would look great once the trees in the median strip had grown - about 20 were pulled out but more than 100 were replanted.

Temporary fencing went up and work got underway on January 14 and by February most nearly 230 meters of new water mains were installed.

A large aspect of the landscaping included brick planter boxes and steel 'hockey sticks' complemented by the installation of a parent and baby wombat by sculptor Dean Bowen at the new pedestrian crossing near Sesame Lane.

These aspects aligned it with the northern part of High Street completed in April 2018

The project had a dream-run weather wise for the first three months but rain events in May and June did delay it somewhat.

Mr Poppins said it had been a "struggle" for many of the traders during the works, and that business had noticeably picked up on Saturday morning.

Landscaping works on the section between Sesame Lane and the water tower roundabout will be carried out into July.

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