[media-credit name=’BEN CLASSON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]State Street's scheduled facelift will have to wait one more year after business owners feared the late start of this year's project would seriously hinder sales in their most profitable season — when students return to campus.

As a result of a delay in approval from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, due to incomplete city paperwork, the soonest the project could have started this year would have been early May.

This would have pushed the construction well into the fall, when many businesses benefit from the sales brought by the return of students, football Saturdays and Halloween.

"It seems that the clear consensus among affected merchants is to delay a year, and since they are most directly affected by the project, I think we should give great weight to their opinions," said Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who represents the State Street area. "They seem to be nearly unanimous in their opinions."

The comprehensive construction project will include the replacement of underground utilities as well as new sidewalks, pavement, trees, light poles, kiosks and benches.

According to George Twigg, communications director for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, the delay in construction may bring with it additional unintended advantages, such as helping to lower the cost of the project for the city.

"It could potentially be a less expensive project," Twigg said. "We could get some lower bids and also federal earmarks to help offset the cost."

Verveer also said the delay will allow the city more time to find qualified contractors to do the work, including companies that are owned by minorities and women so Madison can reach expectations set by the state.

"The State Department of Transportation has initially put a rather high affirmative-action percentage on this project," Verveer said. "They're recommending that 15 percent of the contractors be minority- and women-owned businesses. Unfortunately, there aren't that many in the area that can work on this project."

Verveer said the decision to delay the project until 2008 was made only a few days ago. The city plans to advertise for bids this November, and the project will begin as soon as the weather allows next spring.

"We want the plans all set and ready to go," Verveer said. "We hope this project can get started as early as possible."

Twigg said the goal is to get a majority of the construction done in the summer to minimize the project's overlap with the school year.

Verveer said improvements are greatly needed, adding State Street is the most important street in Wisconsin.

Andrew Muzi, manager of Yellow Jersey, Ltd., which is located on the block that would be most affected by the construction, said the later the construction is done, the better.

"Having lived through this [kind of construction] multiple times, I think next year is always better than this year," Muzi said.

According to Twigg, the project as it stands now is budgeted for $5.3 million.