The Patton Street storm water drainage project is expected to move to its second phase this week. During this phase, South Market Street will be closed. Patton Street will remain closed to through traffic, with northbound traffic detoured onto Court Street.
The work in this phase could begin Wednesday or Thursday and is expected to take one to two weeks to complete, weather permitting.
The project began Oct. 4 with the closure of Patton Street between Craghead and Lynn streets to through traffic. Traffic along Patton Street will be impacted another five months or more. Once completed, storm water drainage will be rerouted from a partially blocked culvert located between South Union and South Market streets into the new storm drain.
The project is being conducted in five phases, with sections of Patton, Market and South Union streets completely closed during construction at various points. Businesses will have access to their property throughout the duration of the project.
In the third phase, Patton Street will be closed to through traffic in front of the Municipal Building and courthouse. In the fourth phase, construction will take place at the intersection of Patton and South Union streets, with no through traffic on Patton Street.
In the final phase, South Union Street will be closed, but traffic on Patton Street likely will be reopened.
Portions of the existing storm water drainage system through downtown are hand-built stone culverts. A portion of this structure is located under buildings and is unable to be properly maintained.
Haymes Brothers Inc. of Chatham is the contractor for the project.
