The Patton Street storm water drainage project has moved to its third phase. During this phase, Patton Street will be closed to all through traffic, with construction taking place in front of the Municipal Building and courthouse.
Northbound traffic is being detoured onto Court Street and southbound traffic is being detoured onto South Market Street, which reopened today.
South Union Street remains open to through traffic and continues to have access to Patton Street.
The work in this phase began this morning and is expected to take two months to complete, weather permitting.
The project began Oct. 4 at the lower end of Patton Street in the block from Lynn to Craghead streets. Traffic along Patton Street will be impacted another four 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 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.
