FREEPORT — Road and drainage improvements will soon be underway in South Freeport.

Work is expected to start within the next couple of weeks, with major road repairs scheduled for next summer. The town is holding a meeting on Aug. 19 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss the project.

The drainage improvement project will begin either on Aug. 20 or 24, according to Town Engineer Albert Presgraves. The improvements will happen on Main, Middle, and Park streets.

The drainage work is being done by the Public Works Department and will take about six weeks. Presgraves said the drainage system currently in place is from the 70s.

Additionally, road construction will take place on the first 300 feet of Park Road.

“That section of road is in such bad shape that we’ll repair that part of it,” Presgraves said.

Councilor Kristina Egan, who represents District 3, said many of her constituents in South Freeport have filed reports about the road.

“I think people will really appreciate having this fixed,” she said.

Egan said Park Street has very deep potholes, which have been dangerous to drivers. While she’s not aware of any accidents happening on the road, she said cars have been damaged and the road is especially dangerous for drivers who aren’t aware of the problems.

“There are priorities all across town for fixing roads,” Egan said. “(Park Street) is the highest priority in our district.”

During the projects, one lane of the roads will remain with flaggers directing traffic.

The drainage and road construction projects are part of the town’s $2.5 million capital improvement plan, which was unveiled in March. The drainage improvements will cost $135,000. All of the road construction in South Freeport Village was originally planned for next year, but Egan had Park Street construction moved to this year.

Egan in April asked that $31,000 for the project be added to fiscal year 2016 and removed from fiscal year 2017 so Park Street could be completed sooner.

“The residents have been waiting a long time for these (roads) to be fixed,” she said.”It needed to be done sooner rather than later.”

The construction scheduled for next year will cost $310,000.

Presgraves said there’s no time-line for next summer’s road construction, but it can’t start until the new fiscal year on July 1. He said the roads haven’t been redone in more than 15 years.

The work will include repaving and curb replacement, and Presgraves said Main Street will also be straightened a little.

“We’re going to try to make it like it is now, but new,” he said.

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

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