The City of Madison began preparation for construction Monday on the third segment of its renovation project for East Washington Avenue.

This segment of the five-phase project will completely reconstruct approximately a half-mile of the street and will include new pavement, a complete renovation of the Halle Steensland Bridge and replacement of sanitary sewer and water lines.

"It's a major project, but through good planning and cooperation with the [state] Department of Transportation, we've been able to minimize the impacts that this has on commuters and businesses," George Twigg, spokesperson for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said.

The construction is slated to finish by December 2006, and according to project manager Curt Neuhauser, the current state of East Washington Avenue is in need of serious repair.

"The old pavement is about 30 years old," he added. "It's pretty shot, and it's in very poor condition."

Neuhauser said the structures underneath the road will be replaced, as they need an upgrade after long-term use.

The project, according to a DOT press release, will cost nearly $14 million.

Funding will be provided by federal, state and city dollars, Twigg said, and the project itself is part of a collaboration between the state and the city.

"It's important that we coordinate when specific parts of the city are reconstructed by the state," he remarked. "That way, we can minimize future disruptions."

The biggest complication with such an extensive project will be the reduction of the six-lane highway to two lanes in each direction, according to Neuhauser.

"Dealing with traffic and resident access is probably the most difficult aspect," he said. "There's going to be times where there will be three-week periods where residents will not be able to get into their driveways."

The reduction of lanes during construction will take a third of the street's original capacity.

But while construction will create inconveniences in access and traffic, Neuhauser said he has not heard of any serious objections from the residents in the area.

"I think most people realize that it needs to get done and we need this sidewalk and pavement," he said. "I can't imagine that they're going to be real overly happy about it, but generally, they're accepting of it."

Twigg said the complications in traffic during rush hours can be relieved by using alternate routes.

"It is going to cause some disruption along the way, and so we are going to communicate [with residents] as well as we can," he said.

The overall project will rebuild East Washington Avenue from the Interstate up to the Capitol, and according to Twigg, the renovation is part of a bigger project to revitalize major streets in the city.

Twigg said right now, major renovation projects near campus have been the East Washington Project and the improvements to State Street.

"This is a part of something larger," he added. "This is an overall effort to build the infrastructure of the city, and having good roads helps businesses and improve the quality of life."

So far, the construction has gone smoothly, Neuhauser said, and he expects the revitalization of the street to impact the economy of the area as well.

"I think things are going fairly well," he stated. "When it's all finished, you're going to have an attractive roadway, and the overall appearance will be much improved."