The roundabout redesign of Kelley Square is underway and it only seems right to give our old landmark a proper send-off. Some aspects of the area still feel the same. Many of the old brick buildings and triple-deckers remain. There’s no shortage of colorful characters walking around, and we still must navigate a vortex of converging roads where anarchy reigns. But the bulldozers, jackhammers, and orange cones remind us that the days of driving through Worcester’s Wild West are numbered. By this time next year, we will be steering around a much more sensible traffic circle.

Worcester Public Market and the Kelley Square Lofts hint at a more polished future. The transformation of this intersection symbolizes the closing of a chapter in the city’s history. It feels like the end of one era and the beginning of another. As a 27-year-old Worcester native, I’ve only known one configuration of these crossings. I’m accustomed to a tangled mess of New Englanders honking and shouting at each other. Everyone vies for their own advancement into the fray, but we’re dependent on each other to get through to the other side. The lack of stoplights forces us to rely on an autonomous system that rewards assertiveness. The number one rule for success: “just gotta keep movin'.”

Such a unique place is something to take pride in. The idea of Middle America is a well-known narrative describing certain parts and people of our nation but is difficult to illustrate in a single setting within a wide scope of 50 states. The atmosphere of Kelley Square, however, captures the essence of what can be called Middle Massachusetts. There’s nothing fancy about it. Small businesses encompass the junction and populate the surrounding streets. Nearby residences are modest at best. Most of the people driving through this intersection live and work locally.

Boston gets all the attention from the rest of the country for its antiquated roadmap, abundance of one ways, and controversy over the Big Dig. The capital city is widely regarded as having the most quaint layout for a major municipality. Boston’s fame prevents any of its streets from providing an accurate snapshot of Middle Massachusetts quite like Kelley Square. Unlike Worcester, the most popular squares are often traversed by people from all over the world. Large banks, luxury hotels and major corporations are clustered throughout the city.

There are no sleek skyscrapers to be seen when taking Exit 13 off of 290. You see the image of Worcester that some Bostonians might see from their City upon a Hill: a sparse skyline with little shine. Approaching the chaotic crossing at the bottom of Vernon Hill can only confirm an outsider’s dismissive view. But what can’t be conveyed through the traffic is the direction in which Worcester is going. There is an undeniable buzz about the city right now. Kelley Square’s makeover coincides with a wave of projects that are gradually redefining the Heart of the Commonwealth.

Over the past few years, downtown has added a number of restaurants, apartments, and hotels while promoting an increasingly vibrant public art scene. Union Station is fresh off another facelift. The Canal District continues to boom as a nightlife destination. Main Street is in the midst of its own rejuvenation that will feature new sidewalks, bike lanes, green spaces, and artwork when completed. Construction of Polar Park broke ground over the past summer and will host the inaugural season of the Woo Sox in 2021. All of this adds to already established attractions like higher education institutions and the endless array of options to eat and drink on Shrewsbury Street. The gritty underdog reputation is incorporating a growing sense of recognition as the legitimate hub of Central New England.

As we advance into a Renaissance Age this decade, here’s to hoping we retain some of the charm that Kelley Square has exemplified over the years. I once heard a man describe Worcester as “the biggest small town in America” as a nod to the incredible connectivity that exists among city natives and residents. It seems like everyone is a friend of a friend in one way or another. Worcester will never be Boston but there is some beauty in that. We drive by our coworkers, bosses, teachers and students as we maneuver around this old hazard. We see ourselves in one another as we rush to our next destination in a quintessential New England manner. Our individual approach may seem aggressive but we ultimately guide each other to collective safety in the best way we know how: just gotta keep movin'.

Shane Matthews is a Worcester native.