Motorists bound for Beaufort's Bladen Street might need to plan detours for the next three months as part of the road will be closed for construction.
Starting today, Bladen Street will be shut down from Duke to North streets during the second phase of a beautification project.
The first phase, from Boundary to Duke streets, was completed in about six months in 2008 for about $800,000. The second phase of the project is expected to take about as long, but the road should reopen by the beginning of June.
Cleland Site Prep of Bluffton won the $579,865 contract for the project, which involves replacing pavement, sidewalks, utilities, drainage and landscaping. The finished project will include brick pavement, parking on both sides of the street and new lighting.
Residences and businesses can be reached using Monson and Adventure streets, which are parallel to Bladen, according to a city news release.
Crews will begin demolition work Thursday or Friday, assistant director of public works Lamar Taylor said.
The goal is to make the area safer for pedestrians.
"It's a little old city," Taylor said, "but if you give people places to walk and jog, it's a healthier city."
Follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/EyeonBeaufort.
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