Get ready for sidewalks to be dug up and street lights and curbs to be replaced downtown. The town's Main Street renovation is kicking into a higher gear starting Monday, July 7.

With subsurface construction work winding down, Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski expects Andover's new-and-improved Main Street to gradually emerge as the month of July progresses.

"I would say it's going to be quite dramatic when the paving is done," said Stapczynski. "It will be a huge difference, a huge improvement."

Beginning with the removal of trees along Route 28 in mid-February, state contractors and utility companies have remained busy downtown over the last four months, working on underground infrastructure, utility poles and traffic lights.

"The biggest part hasn't begun yet," said Sharon Breighner, president of the Andover Business Center Association and owner of The Cup Cake Boutique on Post Office Avenue.

"I am only looking forward to it because it will be beautiful when it's done," said Breighner. "I am extremely apprehensive of it. It's rough downtown."

Breighner said Andover's downtown business community is struggling due to a combination of the national economy, the beginning of vacation season and the ongoing construction related to the Main Street redesign project.

Despite the difficulties, Breighner said business owners are generally pleased with the project's progression.

"It's a good thing in the end," said Breighner. "We know it needs to get done and it's going to be beautiful. And we're going to celebrate when we're done."

Stapczynski said he was pleased thus far with the coordination between project contractor Newport Construction and the town. As a result, town officials have been able to keep residents up to date on upcoming work, he said.

"Newport seems to be very responsive," said Stapczynski. "The state has a good team out there."

Stapczynski said signs have been put up to inform passersby that downtown businesses will remain open during the next steps of construction, which will include the repaving of portions of Route 28 and installation of new sidewalks.

"In my opinion, if Newport does the sidewalks as well as they've done the work to date, I think we'll get a good product with minimum disruption," said Stapczynski.

Selectman Brian Major said he has received few complaints from residents and his conversations with downtown businesses lead him to believe the project has run smoothly.

"It's not having a drastic impact on their businesses," said Major. "I'm very pleased with the impact thus far."

Contractors have been working overnight along Main Street to move the project along. Stapczynski said Bay State Gas will continue its overnight work for several more weeks. Once it moves beyond Elm Square and further toward Stevens Street, however, workers will return to performing daytime construction, he said.

"I thought it went well," said Stapczynski of the completed overnight work. "I thought it was a good technique to use, to get a lot of work done when there was little or no traffic and we had the road to ourselves."

Stapczynski said overnight construction is advisable only when there are few direct abutters.

Breighner also credited the use of overnight work as a method of minimizing the impact on businesses.

"I'd have to say, for what we're experiencing, it's been rather smooth," said Breighner.

With selected on-street parking spaces along Main Street being occupied during construction, town officials provided additional all-day parking in late June for downtown business employees on both Bartlet and Elm streets.

Selectmen also approved a plan June 30 that will install nine new spaces in the public lot behind Old Town Hall.

More changes to the town's downtown parking plan and parking rates are expected to be announced by Police Chief Brian Pattullo at an upcoming selectmen's meeting.

Stapczynski said any disruptions hopefully will be forgotten once the project is completed and the town can enjoy its newly redesigned downtown.

"The project is going to be great when it's over and I think they'll forget about the disruption after the trees are planted and the road is paved and life is back to normal on Main Street," said Stapczynski. "I know it's been disruptive, but we're doing what we can to keep people informed."

Note to online readers: After the Townsman print edition was printed, the town released a new schedule for construction. That updated schedule is included below, and differs from the schedule published in the July 3 paper.

What's next:

Night work performed by Bay State Gas was expected to continue at night in Elm Square for two more weeks, due to underground issues workers have encountered, according to Lisa Schwarz, town planner.

After Bay State Gas completes its night work in Elm Square, it is expected to return to daytime work due to the many homes between the Andover Safety Center and Stevens Street.

Bay State Gas will be doing additional work in the Wheeler Street to Punchard Street area for gas-line tie-ins. A binder coat for the asphalt will be put down after Bay State Gas finishes, and the roadway given time to settle before a smooth final top coat of asphalt is spread.

A new schedule for sidewalk construction was released during Wednesday afternoon, July 2.

The first area that will be under construction is the east side of Punchard Street to Chestnut Street, from Ultimate Perk to CVS). The curbing, sidewalks, and lights will be removed and replaced. It is estimated that this work will take approximately about two weeks. Newport Construction will be taking down the existing street lights and replacing them with the base and then pole and globe of the new pedestrian style lighting beginning Monday, July 7, 2008.

Newport Construction will then work on the following areas, in the listed order, according to Schwarz:

r the west side of Main Street from Punchard Street to Chestnut Street (i.e. Dunkin Donuts to the Gulf Station).

r the west side of Main Street from Chestnut Street to Elm Square (i.e. TDBanknorth to Kaps).

r the east side of Main Street from Chestnut Street to Elm square (i.e. Royal Jewelers to Alpers).

r Elm Square and the Old Town Hall will be done separately and possibly simultaneously with the other areas.

Schwarz reports, "The sidewalks will be removed down to a base to provide for level groundwork that will be prepared for the new concrete sidewalk. During construction temporary access will be created to the businesses whenever possible. There will be grading changes along the sidewalk in some areas and this may create temporary difficulties. Mass Highway will try to resolve all issues prior to actual construction.

"Signalization at Harding Street will begin when the subcontractor is ready, hopefully in the next week or so," she wrote on July 2.