Revving up his campaign, Republican mayoral candidate Charlie Smithgall last week accused incumbent Democrat Rick Gray of neglecting downtown business owners.

Smithgall was prompted to make the charge after an Aug. 16 Sunday News story outlined the mounting frustrations of city merchants as streetscape and road projects drag on. Gray responded to Smithgall's comments by taking responsibility for failing to inform businesses of construction timetables and progress.

But he also defended the improvements, and said the city will be a more business- and pedestrian-friendly place because of them.

In a statement released Friday by his campaign, Smithgall said, "Mayor Gray and his administration have been failing downtown businesses, and there is no clearer example than the failure to complete simple construction on sidewalks right in front of downtown businesses."

Smithgall, a former mayor, is seeking to reclaim the job he lost in 2005 when Gray defeated him.

"It is unfair to local businesses who are trying to operate to have their sidewalks torn up, their businesses put on hold, and then told to be patient," Smithgall said in the statement.

"I have been out in the neighborhoods talking with residents, and I can tell you, their patience with Mayor Gray and his administration is wearing thin."

In the statement, Smithgall also took credit for delivering public works projects on time and under budget. And he blamed Gray for job losses and rising taxes.

In a phone interview, Smithgall said the Gray administration "is just ignoring business."

As mayor, he said, he tried to do everything possible to bring people downtown. Once they come, Smithgall said, "business will thrive."

Gray admitted that lack of communication with downtown merchants was a problem, and said his administration is taking steps to rectify that.

In a letter to the editor published in today's Sunday News, Charlotte Katzenmoyer, the city's public works director, elaborated on that.

"Although regular and detailed information regarding disruptions in traffic flow was communicated to the [Downtown Investment District] for dissemination to merchants, the city failed to provide additional specifics related to delays in streetscape improvements," she wrote.

"We intend to correct this situation by providing the DID with daily updates as to the status of the streetscape enhancement project."

Katzenmoyer also noted that the streetscape improvements, which were supposed to completed in April, have produced delays because of infrastructure problems associated with an older city like Lancaster. In addition, 50 workdays were lost this spring and summer because of rain, she wrote.

And lastly, the city is still waiting to get revised permits back from PennDOT, Katzenmoyer wrote.

Smithgall also took issue with the traffic-calming bulb-outs being installed at city intersections. He said they are a major inconvenience for vehicles.

"In some places, the bulb-outs are totally ridiculous," he said.

When he was mayor, Smithgall said, he had a bulb-out put in near the police station. But it was so big, he said, "I realized it was a failure and was never going to do it again."

Gray responded by saying the new bulb-outs are a lot smaller. He also defended them as a safety measure because they make street crossings narrower.

In addition, bulb-outs help make the city more handicapped accessible, he said.

Frankly, much of the improvements being done downtown are long overdue, Gray said.

And he strongly defended them as necessary.

"In the long run," Gray said, "this will turn out to be a great advantage and benefit" to businesses and pedestrians.